NEHARI, NWA conduct flood management training for Northeast engineer

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaMay 26, 2025

The North Eastern Hydraulic and Allied Research Institute (NEHARI), in collaboration with the National Water Academy (NWA), Pune, concluded a five-day training workshop on flood management on Friday. Held from May 20 to 24, the program focused on enhancing the technical capacity of officials involved in managing floods in the Northeast region.

The workshop was inaugurated virtually by D.S. Chaskar, Chief Engineer of NWA, Pune, who stressed the importance of strengthening flood management strategies through regular capacity building. The inaugural session was attended physically by key officials including Dr. Ranjit Deka, Director, NEHARI and Brahmaputra Board; G.L. Bansal, Chief Engineer, BBO, Central Water Commission; and Asheesh Kumar Singhal, Director, NWA, Pune.

Over the course of five days, participants received training through a combination of lectures and hands-on sessions covering both structural and non-structural flood control measures, flood forecasting techniques, urban flood management, riverbank erosion control, and floodplain zoning. The training also featured sessions on legal aspects of flood management and anti-erosion work carried out by the Brahmaputra Board.

Officials were given practical training on flood estimation using the HEC-HMS software, a tool used to simulate the rainfall-runoff process and assist in flood forecasting.

The workshop concluded with a valedictory session attended by Abhay Kumar, General Manager, Brahmaputra Board. During the session, Dr. Ranjit Deka summarized the key learnings and outcomes of the program.

A total of 21 participants from various offices of the Brahmaputra Board and Water Resource Departments of Assam, Nagaland, Meghalaya, and West Bengal were awarded certificates upon successful completion of the training.

The initiative marks a step toward building resilient flood management systems in the region, which is prone to annual flooding and riverbank erosion.