ANS: IIT-ISM Dhanbad hosted the opening ceremony of the Dhanbad chapter of the Indian Geotechnical Society as well as the inaugural function of the GIAN course on the Treatment and Valorization of Wastes.
Professor Rajiv Shekhar, Director, and IIT (ISM), who was present during the function via video conferencing from Kolkata in online mode, incorporated the Dhanbad chapter into the Indian Geotechnical Society as its 49th local chapter during the function, informed Rajni Singh, Dean (Media & Branding) of ISM.
Professor Sarat Kumar Das, HOD, Civil Engineering, IIT (ISM); Dr Anil Joseph, President, Indian Geotechnical Society; Dr AP Singh, Secretary, Indian Geotechnical Society; Professor Subhamoy Bhattacharya, University of Surrey; and Professor Claudio Cameselle, University of Vigo, Spain attended the function. Professor Sarat Kumar Das got the certificate that says the IGS Dhanbad chapter is now open. It was given to him by Dr. Anil Joseph.
The inaugural ceremony was followed by technical lectures from academic and industry experts.
Professor Subhamoy Bhattacharya delivered the lecture on Geotechnics for sustainable energy development: Opportunities and Challenges, where he discussed in detail the challenges and immense prospects of offshore wind farms and how it can effectively cater to the demanding energy sector.
The second lecture was delivered by Dr Anil Joseph on the Engineering challenges behind demolishing the Supertech Twin Towers at Noida, Delhi. Dr Joseph, who is a leading expert in demolition engineering, delivered an interesting and informative lecture emphasizing the need for precision in the planning and execution of controlled implosions, such as the one nation witnessed at Noida.
The insight into the practical challenges of demolition engineering was much appreciated by the audience since it is an emerging area of specialization in Civil engineering.
The course on the Treatment and Valorization of Wastes is arranged under the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) scheme of the Global Initiative of Academic Networks (GIAN) and conducted by Professor Claudio Cameselle and Professor Sarat Kumar Das.
The concept of sustainability and circular economy will be of major interest in the analysis and design of any waste management system. This course deals with the problems associated with the generation of industrial wastes and their impact on the environment and public health. The course will focus on the minimization of waste, reuse and recycling of materials, and waste valorization process and technologies.