CIVIL ENGINEERING

DATE: 26/08/2023

Chief Guest: Shri Dr M. B. Patil Minister for Large and Medium Industries Karnataka Government.

Preamble: One day workshop was organized by COERR on Organic Farming and Marketing of Agri Products. More than 1000 farmers from Vijayapura district were participated. The workshop was inaugurated by honorable minister Dr M. B. Patil Large and Medium Industries Karnataka Government. Eminent faculties from agricultural university had been invited to give the expert talk on Organic farming and marketing of Agri-products.

Objectives of Workshop:

1. To create awareness at village level about natural farming, its need, principles, practices, benefits
2. To provide brief knowledge about certification systems, branding and marketing etc. at farm levels.

Resource Persons:

1. Shri Basavaraj N. Biradar, Abhi Foundation Vijayapura, former agricultural officer.
2. Shripad Vishweshwar, Asst. Professor University of Horticultural Science Bagalkot

Department of Civil engineering of BLDEA’s V.P. Dr. P.G. Halakatti college of Engineering & Technology, Vijayapur has opened centre for excellence in rural rejuvenation mainly with below mentioned objectives.

Objectives of the Centre:

• To address the demand for domestic water requirements, through proper water supply schemes.
• To create awareness of sanitation and implement economical technologies for maintaining sanitation like waste water and sewage disposal.
• To understand benefits of road network systems for intra and inter connecting villages and construction of the same with economical materials and methods.
• To create awareness for water assessment for agricultural purpose and its effective use through minimal losses.
• To expose them for use of agricultural equipments, that reduces the labor and optimizes the agricultural aids.
• Low cost housing

Inauguration of centre held on 9^th September 2017 and was inaugurated by Dr. G. R. Dodagoudar, Prof from IIT Madras. Many farmers from different rural areas of Vijayapur district were also invited. All the faculty members of  various department and Final year students of Civil Engineering were also present.

Water scarcity-the most important crisis being faced by the mankind. Water scarcity has lead to water stress, making it difficult to get fresh water at the time of requirement. This difficulty has affected all the sectors of life, some are known and some are covered up and one such field is agriculture.

Water stress can be substantially felt in this sector. To avoid the economical crisis the farmers are trying to use any sort of water available for their cultivation. One such issue was observed by the YUVA students, in Hanchannal Tanda (village).

Hanchannal Tanda is approximately 5 kms from Vijayapur city. Around 10,000 population exists in this village. Some of the fields, which grow vegetables suffice their water requirement through sewage water, which is drained out in the village.

Sewage farming is not a new culture, but a good old one. Though it is a accepted technology, one needs to note that sewage farming is permissible under few conditions. Primarily minimum treatment is to be proved to the sewage, and any land cannot be cultivated continuously using sewage water. Above all if the sewage consists of heavy metals, it is totally forbidden.

YUVA members collected some of the vegetable, crop, soil & water samples from the village and were analyzed in ANNA lab, Sholapur, Agricultural University, KCP Science College and our own college. It has been observed that water has bacteriological contamination. Soil, crop & vegetable samples indicate presence of heavy & toxic elements. These toxic & heavy elements if consumed for longer period, might affect the mankind severally. After going through the analysis results and understanding their effect, YUVA members thought of conducting one awareness camp in the village, so that people need to know the health implications of their presently adopted method of cultivation.

In order to convince the farmers, we thought of including a soil science expert, who has the knowledge of organic farming, as well and a person from the farmer community, who has actually practiced the organic farming and has been awarded substantially. Dr S.I.Tolanur, Professor & University Head (Soil Science) UASD, College of Agricultural, Vijayapur and Mr B.R.Kuri, State awarded Agriculturist, Resident of Devalapur, Bagalkot Dist., were invited for the awareness camp.

Hence on 27^th Jan 2018 YUVA members arranged the camp in a temple premises in the tanda at 4 pm. The farmers were informed the earlier day to gather at the mentioned time & place. The speakers presented their views, interacted with the farmers and tried to convince them regarding the health implications of sewage farming & benefits of organic farming. Conversion of animal waste, organic waste generated from the fields & domestic usage to manure was highlighted. Bad effects of extensive usage of chemical fertilizers (with incomplete knowledge) and improper sewage farming were also discussed. Videos depicting the process of organic farming were displayed. The farmers were informed regarding the available services in the Agricultural University for development of organic farming. After the interaction, the speakers were honored by YUVA members through the village seniors.

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Issue of getting adequate water to meet societal needs is one of the most important challenges faced by the mankind today.  To bring about sustainable management of water resources, there are two solutions- finding alternate/additional water resources or utilizing the limited amount of water resources available in a more efficient way.  Till recently much attention was given to identifying alternative source, now it has been realized that optimizing water management systems or rainwater harvesting is a better and more sustainable option.

This workshop on date 22-02-2019 was designed with the objective of facilitating a better understanding of various aspects of rainwater harvesting and soil health monitoring.

OBJECTIVES OF THE WORKSHOP

1. To give participants an insight into the concept of rainwater harvesting (RWH) in simplified manner.
2. Specific focus on various techniques used for RWH
3. Implementation and deployment of RWH in individual houses and farms
4. To give awareness of soil health investigation and continuous monitoring of the same.

RESOURCE PERSONS FOR THE WORKSHOP

1. M S Shirahatti. Assistant director, Agri College Vijayapur
2. G R Rajakumar. Scientist, Agri College Vijayapur
3. U. M. Momin Scientist, Agri College Vijayapur

Issue of getting adequate water to meet societal needs is one of the most important challenges faced by the mankind today.  To bring about sustainable management of water resources, there are two solutions- finding alternate/additional water resources or utilizing the limited amount of water resources available in a more efficient way.  Till recently much attention was given to identifying alternative source, now it has been realized that optimizing water management systems or rainwater harvesting is a better and more sustainable option. Good personal hygiene involves keeping self and surrounding clean and healthy.

It is important for maintaining both physical and mental health. Both self and surrounding hygiene is attainable only through good quality of water used for daily activities, which is free from micro-organisms and chemical free.

Affordable housing improves the quality of life of residents by leading to better health, adequate jobs, financial stability, security, and population diversity. The effects of affordable housing on residents are profound and capable of transforming communities, especially when the projects are designed with a low-cost material, which are durable and sustainable to earthquake.

In this regard, Civil Engineering Department faculties and students of BLDEA’s VP Dr. PGHCET Vijayapur, under centre of excellence for rural rejuvenation has designed this awareness program on 18-09-2021 with the objective of facilitating a better understanding and awareness of various aspects of water harvesting for Agri purpose, health and hygiene aspects of domestic water usage, low-cost housing for durable and sustainable to earthquake resistance.