A two-day capacity-building programme on photography, videography and drone mapping for officers of the Water Resources Department (WRD) began on Thursday at the conference hall of the Chief Engineer, WRD, Kohima.
Delivering the keynote address, Executive Engineer Er. Wapangnaro Imchen said the department plays a vital role in ensuring water security, developing irrigation infrastructure, conserving water resources and protecting communities from floods and erosion. She said adopting modern technology is essential for improving project planning and monitoring.
Imchen noted that photography, videography and drone mapping have become integral components of Detailed Project Reports (DPRs), enabling officers to monitor projects effectively without frequent field visits. She pointed out that some project proposals had been rejected by the Ministry because of poor-quality photographs and videos submitted by the divisions.
She also stressed the importance of GIS mapping, saying, “Every DPR requires a GIS map, without which DPRs are always rejected.” She urged participants to take the training seriously, particularly in drone mapping, as many departmental projects are located in difficult terrain.
Earlier, Er. Mulukhhoto Khama, Junior Engineer, who chaired the programme, said photography, videography and drone mapping are indispensable tools for project documentation, monitoring and evaluation, helping improve the quality of reports and provide credible evidence for audit observations.
The training features resource persons from the Department of Information and Public Relations and the Water Resources Department, including GIS experts.