Events 2017-2018

TRAINING PROGRAMME ON RAIN WATER HARVESTING AND GREY WATER USE FOR AGRICULTURAL PURPOSES AT PUTHANAMPATTI VILLAGE AMONG RURAL FARMERS AND VILLAGERS - 22/08/2017 to 24/08/2017

ORGANIZED BY
NEHRU MEMORIAL COLLEGE (AUTONOMOUS), PUTHANAMPATTI
SPONSORED BY
TAMILNADU STATE COUNCIL FOR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, CHENNAI

The TAMILNADU STATE COUNCIL FOR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY (TNSCST) has approved the proposal on Training Programme on Rain water harvesting and Grey water use for Agricultural purposes at Puthanampatti village among rural farmers and villagers for the academic year 2017-2018. The council has sanctioned Rs. 48,000/- as one time grant. The programme emphasizes the transfer of technology and concepts to the rural people through experts and scientists from research institutions. The programme was held at our college on 22/08/2017 to 24/08/2017. The programme was participated by the local farmers, villagers of Puthanampatti, Omanthur, Kottathur, Abinimangalam and Senkattupatti villages and the students of B.Sc., Zoology, B.Sc., Botany, M.Sc., Zoology, M.Phil & Ph.D., research scholars of Zoology, staff members of Zoology, Botany, Biotechnology our college attended the programme. Dr. N. Ramesh, Assistant Professor of Zoology, Nehru Memorial College, Puthanampatti organized the training programme.

The programme included

Rainwater harvesting and Grey water use for agricultural purposes among rural farmers and villagers. More than 75 participants (male and female) were actively participated in the programme. Dr. P. Kannan, Assistant Professor, Department of Zoology and Wildlife Biology, Udhagamandalam, delivered lecture on "Water management, rainwater harvesting and rain water utility". Dr. S. Raja, Assistant Professor of Zoology, Kongunadu Arts and Science College, Coimbatore, delivered lecture on "Effective Water Management for Agriculture and Allied Sectors: A Modern Approach". Dr. M. Vasanthi, Assistant Professor, Department of Environmental Biotechnology, Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirappalli delivered lecture on "Natural way of waste water management possibilities - a look" and Dr. P. Krishnamoorthy, Assistant Professor of Zoology, Periyar E.V.R. College (Autonomous), Trichy gave lecture on "Grey Water Applications in Agriculture".

The programme was organized by Dr. N. Ramesh, Assistant Professor of Zoology, Nehru Memorial College (Autnomous), Puthanampatti.

Inauguration

The P.G. and Research Department of Zoology, Nehru Memorial College (Autonomous), Puthanamaptti has conducted a three - day training programme on "Rain Water Harvesting and Grey water use for agricultural purposes for the Puthanampatti, Abinimamgalam, Omanthur, Kottathur and Senkattupatti villagers and farmers on 22nd to 24th August at Nehru Memorial College campus. In the first day, i.e on 22/08/2017 The programme was started exactly at 10.00 am at Seminar Hall of Nehru Memorial College with Tamilthai Vazhathu.

First and foremost Prof. M.P. Santhi, Associate Professor and Head, Department of Zoology gave the welcome address to the gatherings. Secondly, Dr. A.R. Pon periyasamy, Principal, Nehru Memorial College delivered inaugural address to the gatherings. Further he emphasized that the women should take care of the families and she takes care of to fetch water from distance. The using up of grey water in their gardens and lands will be useful one. Planting of trees is essential one he added, the pollution; scarcity of water and rainwater harvesting among people is outstanding problem in the world. The biodiversity present in the Western Ghats should be protected. So that we may get more rainfall and that can be harvested for our all need. The Western Ghats is the second largest biodiversity area in the world followed by Amazan forest. The Western Ghats afforded that much of faunal and floral wealth and that should be protected immediately. The green house effect and global warming should be concentrated, recycling of water, rain water harvesting, salinity and natural disaster should be concentrated, he added.

Thirdly, Prof. M. Ponambalam, College Chairman and Goveringbody delivered presidential address to the gatherings and informed about the importance of grey water use and rain water harvest to the gatherings. He informed and rightly pointed out about natural calamities such as flood, tsunami, earthquake, rain, drought etc. Flood entry in the city should be monitored he added. The public should look into this matter. He informed happily that he ready to offer 30 acre of his own waste land for tree plantation. So every student of Nehru Memorial College (now the student strength is 4000) should plant one sapling. So in the next five years all saplings will grow like hell and look like a forest. The grey water may be irrigated for that purposes. The harvested rain water may also be used for the same. That area should become a botanical garden. In this connection he ready to provide all kind of logistic support.

Thereafter, Er. Pon Balasubramanian, President, Nehru Memorial College gave the special address about the programme. He further added that the forest land of Trichy region has improved 2500km2 this year. The forest is doing many good things such as food, wood, water and livelihood to the society. So we have to protect the trees to get the livelihood continuously, he added. There are 1500 tree species existed in India of which 100 tree species has been domesticated. There is 1, 00000 tree species existed in the world. So at least 50% of these tree species domesticated and their utility for human need should be getting it for the society, he added. For water scarcity the grey water or waste water could be irrigated in a good manner by which the water need will be fulfilled. Then the memodam was given to the chief guest at the stage. Dr. N. Ramesh, Assistant Professor, Nehru Memorial College and the organizing secretary of this training programme gave the vote of thanks at 10.45 am.

Initially Dr. P. Kannan, Assistant Professor of Zoology and Wildlife Biology spoke about "Water management, rainwater harvesting and rain water utility" to the gatherings. He informed how to harvest the rain water and how to use the water in a useful way. He also explained the natural process of waste water cleaning and its usage in various agricultural fields. Then Dr. S. Raja, Assistant Professor of Zoology, Kongunadu Arts and Science College, Coimbatore spoke about "Effective Water Management for Agriculture and Allied Sectors: A Modern Approach". He added that very little water is enough for some of the agricultural practices such as garden, vegetables, terrace vegetables etc., How to avoid the water evaporation from the agricultural fields, he explained. In olden days the construction of ponds and tanks were novel and this model could minimize the water evaporation, he explained.

In the second day i.e on 23/08/2017, Dr. M. Vasanthy, Professor of Environmental Biotechnology, Bharathidasan University spoke about "Natural way of waste water management possibilities - a look". She informed that the waste water or grey water should be gathered in a tank then the waste water is filtered by using sand and gravel and it should be allowed in a next tank, then the microbes may be allowed in the waste water for feeding. The microbes feed upon the debris present in the water and the water gets purified further. Now the water is oxygenated and allowed the algae. The algae feed on the phosphate and other related organisms for its growth and development. Now water gets purified further. Now the water is irrigated for vegetables and plantations. The lecturer was very useful to the farmers, villagers, students and gatherings. Several questions were raised by the audience and the answer was correctly delivered by the resource person. Finally, Dr. P. Krishnamoorthy, Assistant professor of Zoology, Periyar E.V.R. College, Trichy spoke about "Grey Water Applications in Agriculture" to the gatherings. He informed that the waste water is collected in a tank and the horse dung and cow dung in a small quantity is mixed in it. Microbes present in the cow dung purify the water and the waste water further gets clean. Now the water if filtered and allowed for irrigation in many vegetables, gardens and cultivation, he added. Even the water is poured in the rain water harvesting beds.

In the third day, i.e on 24/08/2017 morning at 10.00 am a field visit was made and the farmers, villagers and students were taken to the rainwater harvesting place at college campus and grey water usage plots especially Leman Garden. The college releases large quantity of grey water daily. These grey water after purification allowed into the leman garden in the nearby grooves. The model grey water use garden within the college campus where the Bhendi plant is grown that was also shown to the farmers and villagers. This would make them an inspiration and would take this idea to their home for doing the same process over there.

Such a way the farmers and villagers learnt many useful things from this training programme. As many as 75 villagers and farmers of four villages and 150 students and M.Phil and Ph.D research scholars in Zoology, Botany were taken part in the training programme on Tuesday (22/08/2017), Wednesday (23/08/2017) and Thursday (24/08/2017) without charging money.

Dr. Ramesh, Assistant Professor and Organizing Secretary of this training Programme informed, due to failure of monsoon and no water flowing in rivers, the people face lot of problem regarding their water needs. Hence, an awareness programme should be implemented throughout the state regarding rain water harvesting and re-use of waste water for agriculture purposes. This could minimize the water need in future. The supply by the corporation has come down everywhere, over exploitation of ground water by motor for agricultural purposes in the village make inadequate of water need.

Valedictory address

The valedictory session was started at 3.00 pm at seminar hall. Ms. G. Thangamani, Assistant professor, Nehru Memorial College, gave the welcome address. Dr. K. Saravanan, Assistant Professor of Zoology, Nehru Memorial College read the Training Programme report in the stage. The memodam was given to the guest by the president. Then Dr.A.R.Pon Periyasamy, Principal felicitated the gatherings the gatherings. Prof. M. Ponnambalam, Chairman Goveringbody, Nehru Memorial College gave the valedictory address to the gatherings. The college President Er. Pon. Balasubramanian gave a special talk to the villagers and farmers. Lab to land oriented research should be taken up, he added. It was useful and most inspired talk for our villagers and farmers and students, research scholars and staff members. The President further added that he ready to help to the scholars to pursue research activities at our college. Finally they informed the training programme was most successful one.

Prof. M. Ponnambalam, Chairman Goveringbody, Nehru Memorial College and Er. Pon. Balasubramanian, President, Nehru Memorial College distributed the certificates to the farmers, villagers and other participants. Dr. N. Ramesh, Assistant Professor of Zoology, Nehru Memorial College gave the vote of thanks. The III B.Sc., Zoology students did the master of ceremony in the full day. The programme concluded with National anthem at 4.30 pm.