Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) organised a Two-Day Capacity Building Programme for Officials of Water Resources and Minor Irrigation Departments of the Government of Tamil Nadu on October 7 and 8, 2026, at the BIS Southern Regional Office in Chennai. Around 50 officials from various offices and divisions of the Water Resources Department, Government of Tamil Nadu, associated with water resources, irrigation, hydraulic structures, groundwater, hydrology, quality control, design, research and related activities, participated in the two-day programme.

 

The programme was organised as part of the series of awareness and stakeholder outreach programmes being undertaken by BIS in connection with celebrating World Standards Day 2026, with the objective of promoting greater understanding and adoption of Indian Standards among government departments and stakeholders. The theme for World Standards Day 2026 is “SDG 7 – Affordable and Clean Energy.”

The programme was inaugurated by Shri S. D. Dayanand, Senior Director & Head, BIS Chennai. In his welcome address, he highlighted that capacity building is an initiative of BIS to empower State Government Departments on standardisation in their related fields. He emphasised the importance of providing technical exposure on water resources and minor irrigation and familiarising officials with relevant Indian Standards and good engineering practices evolved over the years. He further highlighted that the use of appropriate standards, technical practices and quality requirements is essential for ensuring the safety, efficiency and sustainability of water resources and related works. He encouraged the participants to actively participate in the sessions, interact with the resource persons and make full use of the programme for learning and knowledge sharing.

The inaugural session was attended by Er. P. Sundararajan, Chief Engineer, Water Resources Department, Design Research and Construction Support, Chepauk, Chennai, and Er. R. N. Surekha, Joint Chief Engineer, Water Resources Department, Design Research and Construction Support, Chepauk, Chennai, as special invitees. Addressing the participants, Er. P. Sundararajan highlighted the importance of continuous capacity building and technical knowledge in the effective planning, design and implementation of water resources and minor irrigation works. He appreciated the initiative of BIS in providing government officials with exposure to Indian Standards and good engineering practices and emphasised that greater familiarity with standards would support the Water Resources Department in strengthening quality, safety and efficiency in its technical activities. He also noted the importance of close interaction between BIS and State Government Departments in facilitating the appropriate application of standards in the field.

 

As part of the programme, Shri Muninarayana R, Director, BIS Chennai, delivered a session on “Overview of BIS”, providing participants with an understanding of the organisation, its mandate, key activities and the role of standardisation in promoting quality, safety and efficiency. The session also familiarised the participants with the various activities and services of BIS relevant to government departments and stakeholders.

On the first day of the programme, technical sessions covered Flowing Forward: Mastering Canals and Cross Drainage Works, Beneath the Surface: Geological Investigations in River Valley Projects, Precision in Practice: Instrumentation for Hydraulic Structures and Sustaining Strength: Maintenance and Repair of Dams. The sessions were handled by Dr. N. Murali Mohan, Senior Environmental Scientist (Retd.), State Pollution Control Board, Telangana, and Dr. G. Janardhanan, Professor & Dean, NITTTR, who are resource persons trained by BIS for capacity-building programmes.

 

The second day of the programme covered Flood Control and Diversion Strategies, Groundwater Investigations and Recharge Techniques, and Micro Irrigation Systems, including the essentials of drip and sprinkler irrigation components, fertigation, filters, installation, operation and maintenance.

 

The technical sessions provided participants with exposure to important aspects of water-resource management, hydraulic structures, groundwater investigations and recharge, flood management and minor irrigation systems. The sessions on micro-irrigation, including drip and sprinkler irrigation components, fertigation, filters, installation, operation and maintenance, also highlighted approaches for efficient use and management of water resources, complementing the broader sustainability objectives.

 

The programme reinforced the importance of applying relevant Indian Standards and good engineering practices in the planning, design, implementation, operation and maintenance of water resources and minor irrigation infrastructure. It also provided a platform for interaction between BIS and officials of the Water Resources Department, enabling greater awareness of standards and their practical application in the field.

 

BIS continues to undertake capacity-building and awareness initiatives with government departments and stakeholders to facilitate greater understanding and effective adoption of Indian Standards. Participants were also encouraged to make use of BIS digital services, including the BIS Care App and BIS portals, for accessing BIS-related services, verifying certification details and lodging complaints, wherever applicable.

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