For many districts in Assam, fluoride and arsenic contamination in groundwater has been a major cause of concern, which is now slated to be eliminated. The Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati (IIT-G) has recently signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with RD Grow Green India private ltd, which made it possible to treat contaminated groundwater without using any chemicals.
‘Drinking water contamination is a major problem in most states, including Assam. This chemical-free treatment technique might be useful to citizens both in rural and urban areas,’ IIT-G Director TG Sitharam said on Tuesday.
‘I appreciate the initiative made by IIT Guwahati team which resulted in successful incubation of a company within IIT Guwahati (RD Grow Green India) which has taken up the challenge to supply contaminant-free drinking water in Assam using technology developed by Professor MK Purkait,’ Sitharam said.
At least 24 districts in Assam currently face the problem of either arsenic or flouride contamination of groundwater. According to government statistics, groundwaters in at least 6,881 locations of Assam are found to be contaminated by arsenic, while there is fluoride contamination in 930 locations across the state.
The Assam government had in the past announced many schemes to remove arsenic and fluoride contamination but none of them have proved effective.
Purkait said the technology is based on the principle ‘apparatus and method for removal of fluoride, iron, arsenic and microorganisms from contaminated drinking water.’ RD Grow Green MD Rajeev Saikia said the application is time tested state-of-the-art appropriate technology. ‘In this process, there is zero wastage of water,’ Saikia said.
