EGCON 2022

A formidable bridge among Geologists, Geophysicists, Engineers, and Geotechnical Engineers, the Indian Society of Engineering Geology (ISEG) was inaugurated on 15th October 1965 at Kolkata by the then Union Minister of Irrigation and Power Dr. K.L. Rao. Dr. D.N. Wadia, the doyen of Indian geology was its First President. The ISEG is the Indian National Group of the International Association of Engineering Geology and the Environment (IAEG). IAEG has more than 4400 members and 61 National groups across the world. Apart from the active patronage of the premier national geoscientific organisations – the Geological Survey of India, the ISEG (www.isegindia.org) represents almost all the leading organisations involved in infrastructural developmental projects in India like NHPC, NTPC, THDC, SJVN, NEEPCO, and Irrigation and Waterways Departments of various States. ISEG currently has a membership base of more than 1500 members and has provided a vibrant national knowledge platform for discussing and debating a host of geotechnical challenges and state-of-the-art technologies in the field of Engineering Geology and Geotechniques, and allied fields through its reputed regular publication in the form of Journal of Engineering Geology (www.joegindia.com), special publications and organising National and International Conferences/ workshops, Geo-orientation training programs regularly.

In the present scenario, sustainable infrastructure development has become a new paradigm for the technological, economic, and social progress of a nation. Infrastructure development in open and underground spaces for river valley projects, railways, highways, and other large civil structures poses innumerable challenges during the design, and construction stage. Appropriate application of engineering geology and geotechniques helps in understanding the mechanism of geotechnical problems beforehand and problems can be tackled effectively to prevent time and cost over-run as well as safety of men and machinery. Since its independence, the country has achieved several milestones in infrastructure development. With the accelerated development of infrastructure projects in far-flung areas, the geotechnical challenges have also increased manifold as evident from recent catastrophic landslides and collapse especially in the Himalayan region during Monsoon. Under these circumstances, the role of engineering geoscientists and geotechnical engineers has become more crucial in providing site-specific solutions to critical geotechnical problems.

I feel privileged and delighted in informing you about the EGCON 2022, scheduled to be held during 16-17 November 2022 in Kolkata. With the response from the Scientific community and grand successes of the earlier four Conferences in the EGCON Series, the ISEG is organising, the fifth, the EGCON 2022 in physical mode again in the City of Joy – Kolkata, India. As per the legacy of the Society, the ISEG will again be providing a vibrant platform for knowledge sharing and capacity building by organising EGCON 2022 and also to deliberate upon recent developments/trends in the field of surveys, investigations, and challenges related to infrastructure development including power and communication projects, particularly to reduce the geological uncertainties and geo-hazards and environment-related issues relevant to sustainable development.