Project description
Wastewater treatment and reuse proposals in India
The Ganga River is important for India’s economy and public health but it is contaminated by heavy metals and dangerously polluted. Combined actions related to wastewater treatment are needed. A government programme, the Namami Gange is addressing the problem, taking into consideration the sustainable development goals (SDG). The EU-funded PAVITRA GANGA project is part of the EU/India cooperation and aims to support wastewater treatment and reuse proposals in urban and peri-urban sites of India. It targets socially vulnerable groups and offers training for open innovation test sites, aiming for the treatment of open drains. By using advanced technology, it intends to eliminate heavy metals and organic pollution in the river and create new economic opportunities.
Objective
India’s water resources are under severe stress resulting from overexploitation and pollution. The Indian government has started the Namami Gange programme in line with the sustainable development goals (SDG), including the improvement of wastewater treatment. PAVITRA GANGA links directly to these programmes and builds on existing cooperation between EU/India, supported by national governments. The objective is to fulfil SDG6 by unlocking the environmental and economic potential of municipal wastewater treatment and reuse solutions for urban and peri-urban areas in India. By focussing on three pillars we ensure maximum impact:
- People: we create social awareness through a participatory monitoring approach. We target social vulnerable groups by providing treatment solutions for open drains. We create a community of practitioners by the establishment of open innovation test sites and a training & learning network.
- Planet: we focus on rejuvenation of the river by removing organic pollution, heavy metals and emerging compounds that have the biggest impact on Indian streams. We provide technology innovations to upgrade existing wastewater infrastructure and to add treatment systems to open drains, resulting in improved quality of receiving rivers.
- Profit: we apply the principles of the Circular Economy and exploit the economic opportunities of waste-to-energy, water reuse and resource recovery. Solutions are cost efficient and require limited investments making them particularly suited for the Indian market.
In collaboration with local stakeholders and supported by industrial partners we will set-up two pilot sites at the Barapullah Drain (New Delhi) and the Jajmau plant (Kanpur). The dynamics of a business and technology platform combined with a learning network will form strong Indian water professionals, in line with Skill India, while also training EU experts in understanding Indian challenges. This will accelerate the transition to an EU-India level playing field.
Fields of science
- engineering and technologyenvironmental engineeringwater treatment processeswastewater treatment processes
- natural sciencesearth and related environmental scienceshydrology
- social sciencessociologysocial issuessocial inequalities
- natural sciencesearth and related environmental sciencesenvironmental sciencespollution
- social scienceseconomics and businesseconomicssustainable economy
Keywords
Programme(s)
- H2020-EU.3.5. - SOCIETAL CHALLENGES - Climate action, Environment, Resource Efficiency and Raw Materials Main Programme
- H2020-EU.3.5.4. - Enabling the transition towards a green economy and society through eco-innovation
- H2020-EU.3.5.2.2. - Developing integrated approaches to address water-related challenges and the transition to sustainable management and use of water resources and services
Funding Scheme
RIA - Research and Innovation actionCoordinator
2400 Mol
Belgium