A one-day “National-level Seminar on Current Trends in Water Quality Management: Local and Global Scenario” was conducted on 21.08.2015 at Sona College of Technology, Salem by the Civil Engineering Department of Sona College of Technology. The objective of this seminar was to create awareness and improve knowledge on recent trends in water quality management among students, engineers and scientists.
A large number of students and faculty members from various engineering colleges, polytechnic colleges and arts and science colleges participated in the seminar. Also scientists and engineers from PWD Groundwater Division and Tamil Nadu Water Supply Drainage Board, Salem participated in the seminar.
Professor and Head of the Civil Engineering Department, Dr. R. Malathy welcomed the participants and highlighted the need for water conservation by every individual in every possible way. The chief guests of the seminar were Mr. P. P. Chandrasekaran, Assistant Director (Lab), Advanced Environmental Laboratory, Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board, Salem and Mr. Sudhakar Deenadayalan, General Manager, Chemin Enviro System Pvt. Limited, Chennai.
Mr. Chandrasekaran explained the pollution status of water quality of surface water of river Cauvery. Mr. Sudhakar Deenadayalan described the desalination process, especially reverse osmosis, and the methods to dispose reject water. He also visualized that large-scale desalination process will become a viable solution for water crisis in future.
The other presenters were faculty members of Sona College of Technology, Dr. M. Ramesh Kumar of Fashion Technology Department, and Dr. L. Vijay Anand and Professor N. Vetrivel of Civil Engineering Department. Dr. M. Ramesh Kumar described the processes in textile and dyeing industry and industrial wastewater treatment processes. Dr. L. Vijay Anand presented a paper on uranium contamination of soil and groundwater with reference to two sites in the USA.
Professor N. Vetrivel described the concept of groundwater modelling and explained the procedure to be followed in the application of MODFLOW groundwater modelling software. The students showed keen interest on the said topics and interacted with the resource persons.
The proceedings of this seminar have been well received by the students, faculty members, and scientists and engineers from Government Departments.
