SHIMLA:
Young civil engineers were given practical lessons in sustainable and hill-friendly planning during a two-day workshop on “Carrying Capacity and Hill Area Planning” held at the CSLC–Science Museum, Shoghi, near Shimla.
The workshop was organised by the Himachal Pradesh Council for Science, Technology & Environment (HIMCOST) in collaboration with the School of Planning and Architecture, New Delhi, under the EIACP Programme, from February 28 to March 1, 2026.
Around 58 civil engineering students from nearby universities took part in the programme, where experts stressed that development in hill regions cannot follow the same models used in the plains and must respect the natural limits of fragile mountain ecosystems.
Addressing the valedictory session, Dr. Suresh C. Atri, Member Secretary of HIMCOST, said the workshop was designed to help young engineers understand the practical importance of carrying capacity in a hill state like Himachal Pradesh. He underlined that scientific and evidence-based planning is essential to maintain ecological balance while meeting development needs.
Experts Prof. Dr. M.S. Thakur, former Chief Engineer of the Himachal Pradesh Public Works Department, and Dr. Arunava Poddar, Adjunct Professor at Shoolini University, shared field-based experiences on safe construction practices, disaster-resilient planning and sustainable infrastructure in mountainous terrain.
The sessions focused on scientific land-use planning, slope stability, water resource management, traffic regulation and responsible tourism management. Experts warned that unplanned construction and excessive pressure on natural resources are major reasons behind landslides, water scarcity and environmental degradation in the Himalayan region.
Joining the programme online, Prof. Dr. Meenakshi Dhote, Dean (Academic) and Coordinator, EIACP PC–RP at SPA New Delhi, appreciated the initiative and stressed the need to equip young professionals with hill-specific planning skills at an early stage of their careers.
The workshop concluded with the distribution of certificates to participants, with organisers calling it an important step towards shaping a new generation of civil engineers capable of planning development in harmony with the hills.
#HillFriendlyDevelopment #SustainablePlanning #HimalayanEcology #FutureEngineers
