Aurangabad, Maharashtra, India
December 18-21, 2012

Jointly Organized by

Maulana Azad College of Arts, Science & Commerce,
Dr. Rafiq Zakaria Campus, Aurangabad, 431001
Maharashtra, India
Association of Geologists and Hydrogeologists,
(GEOFORUM) Maharashtra, India

In Possible collaboration with:
Groundwater Survey & Development Agency (GSDA), Govt. of Maharashtra, India
UNICEF, New Delhi, India
UNESCO, New Delhi, India
International Association of Hydrological Sciences (IAHS), France
International Association of Hydrogeologists (IAH), UK
and International Ground Water Congress (IGWC), India

Groundwater resources in hard rock regions with limited renewable potential have to be managed judiciously to ensure adequate supplies of dependable quantity and quality. It is a natural resource with economic, strategic and environmental value, which is under stress both due to changing climatic and anthropogenic factors. Therefore the management strategies need to be aimed at sustenance of this limited resource. In India, and also elsewhere in the world major parts of the semi-arid regions are characterized by hard rocks and it is of vital importance to understand the nature of the aquifer systems and its current stress conditions. Though the achievements through scientific development in exploration and exploitation are commendable, it has adversely affected the hard rock aquifer system, both in terms of quantity and quality; which is of major concern today. In order to reverse the situation, better management strategy of groundwater resources needs to be devised for prevention of further degradation of quality and meeting out the future demand of quantity. This necessitates:

• Understanding the flow mechanism, evaluating the potential and evolving optimal utilization schemes, and
• Assessing and monitoring quality in the changing scenario of anthropogenically induced agricultural, urban, industrial andclimatic change.

The groundwater flow mechanism through fractures in hard rocks is yet to be fully understood in terms of fracture geometry and its relation to groundwater flow. The characterization of flow geometry in basaltic aquifer is yet to be fully explored.

Groundwater pollution due to anthropogenic factors is very slow process with long-term impacts on carbon cycle and global climatic change on one hand and quality on the other. It is generally recognized that the prevention of groundwater pollution is cheaper than its remedial measures in the long run. Furthermore, because of the nature of groundwater flow and the complexity and management uncertainty of many contaminant processes, a precautionary approach should generally be adopted for the groundwater resources. Such an approach is always aimed to avert danger or at least minimize the risk of groundwater pollution and promote protection of its quality.
Taking in view of the above, the Fifth International Ground Water Conference (IGWC-2012) is planned during December 18-21, 2012 at Aurangabad in Maharashtra. Dr.M. Thangarajan had successfully organized the First International Groundwater Conference (IGWC-2002) at Dindigul, Tamil Nadu and served as conference co-coordinator of IGWC-2006 at JNU, New Delhi & IGWC-2007 at TNAU, Coimbatore, and IGWC-2011 at Madurai. Heisnowthe Advisorcum Conference Coordinator of IGWC-2012.

The main emphasis in organizing such an International Conference is on the outcome of deliberations of the conference which ncould reach the users, who are facing the problems due to groundwater shortage and quality deterioration.

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