Varanasi: The Secretary of the Jal Shakti Ministry, VL Kantha Rao, visited the Indian Institute of Technology (Banaras Hindu University), IIT-BHU, here on Friday to review ongoing initiatives related to river rejuvenation and water management.
During the visit, he inspected the Smart Laboratory on Clean Rivers, where advanced research and technological interventions aimed at improving river water quality and monitoring systems were showcased. The facility serves as a key centre for innovation and applied research in sustainable river management.
A team of experts, including Prof S B Dwivedi, Prof Anurag Ohri, Prof Shishir Gaur, Prof Harsimran Kaur, Prof Medha Jha, Dr Pramod Soni, Dr Anshuman Satpathy, Rahul Singh, and Prof Shreyans Kumar Jain, briefed the secretary on ongoing research, field applications, and their contribution to national missions such as the Namami Gange Programme.
The interaction highlighted the role of academic institutions in supporting flagship river conservation programmes through scientific and technological inputs. Rao appreciated the institute's efforts in promoting evidence-based policy and sustainable solutions. He emphasised the need to strengthen ground-level implementation so that laboratory innovations can be effectively translated into real-world applications.
He also underlined the importance of adopting advanced international practices, including technologies from Denmark, to enhance efficiency and scalability in river management initiatives. The visit underscores the government's commitment to leveraging academic expertise for river rejuvenation and water security.
