The three-day International Conference on Infrastructure Management (ICMI-2016) ICMI concluded in the Kandoli campus of UPES with some extremely engrossing talks and engaging Panel Discussions.
Panel discussions included two very relevant issues at the national level and the state level which were around ‘India’s Energy Policy in wake of declining crude prices’ and ‘Potential and Challenges of Solar Energy in Uttarakhand’.
Some very absorbing talks were given by the eminent personalities who participated in this conference over the three days which included the talk on “Changing Dynamics in Energy Markets – India’s Energy Security Perspective”; “Regulation and Policy in Infrastructure Development” by Ashok Bhattacharya, Presentaion by Dr Umakant Panwar on “Uttarakhand’s Energy Scenario”; “Environmental Challenges in Hydro Power” by ‘CHIPKO’ fame Sunderlal Bahuguna; The talk on “Make in India – Challenges and Issues” by Dr Pravakar Sahoo, Institute of Economic Growth, New Delhi and “Implementation of Smart City Project – Issues on the Ground” by Saurabh Vohra, Jll, India.
In his address Sunderlal Bahuguna stressed that in the first place we need to avoid felling of trees for development purposes but if the accruable benefits far exceeds the damage which would be caused then we first need to plant new trees which should be in excess of at least ten times of those which need to be felled. Dr Panwar’s message was more towards UPES wherein he advised the UPES team to focus on “Energy Storage Perspectives of U’khand” and encouraged them to come forward and engage with the state government and contribute towards framing of long term Energy policy of U’khand. The ‘Special Invitee’ from Media Kushal Kothiyal, Editor of Dainik Jagran, Uttarakhand shared that in his view the most important parameter in Infrastructure Policy framing is the longevity factor and must be done keeping at least the next two generations in mind.
The panelists for deliberations of the national issue consisted of Dr Kirit Parikh, Ex-member of Planning Commission; Ashok Bhattacharya, Editor of Business Standard; Dr Umakant Panwar, Principal secretary of Energy in Uttarakhand ; Utpal Ghosh, President of UPES and SN Verma, MD, UJVNl while Panelists for the deliberations on the state subject comprised of Dr Kamal Bansal, Dean of College of Engineering , UPES ; Dr Andallib Tariq, Prof from IIT-Roorkee ; NR Raje, Former Director (R&D) of IOCl and Dr Prasoon Dwivedi, Professor from College of Management & Economic Studies, UPES.