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Water purification industry guns for higher standards

Tuesday, 28 July 2009 10:31 administrator
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Business Standard 28.07.2009

Water purification industry guns for higher standards

Praveen Bose / Chennai/ Bangalore July 28, 2009, 0:56 IST
 

The water purification and treatment industry in India, under siege from cheap imports of water treatment products from China, is working to set standards for the water treatment industry in the country as a safeguard against 'spurious' products. This, is being done through a certification process. Hence, for the first time the industry has put its head together to come up with a solution.

In a country like India, where water scarcity is growing by the day, there are too many issues relating to water. This has meant that there are dime a dozen firms that are trying to make the best of the situation. Now there is a clamour for proper standards.

With a membership of about 31 firms, the industry is estimated to be worth Rs 1,300 crore to Rs 1,400 crore for the domestic sector and Rs 8,000-10,000 crore in the industrial sector. The industry is trying to build a consensus on the standards for water treatment products under an umbrella body — WQA India.

WQA or Water Quality Assurance is a not-for-profit international trade association representing residential, commercial, industrial and small community water treatment industry. WQA works with organisations representing different aspects of water industry worldwide. It has over 2,400 members from 80 countries around the world.

Water has many more challenges here in India than in the West or in countries like Singapore. The standards are directly proportional to the cost of water purification. Till now, the water purification industry in India concentrated on bacterial contamination. But, what about the viruses and other parasites that water may harbour?

Hence, there has been a long-felt need for standards to ensure all purifiers meet all standards. Now there is growing awareness for the need to fine-tune biological contaminants.

“But, affordability is a factor. We need to build consensus on the minimum standards for purification," noted an industry player. The members are presently looking to form an Indian arm of WQA in India, which will be an independent not for profit organisation which will establish standards and generally fund technologies for water purification. This is expected to cut the cost of developing technologies.

The industry has to work towards a quality which is best for India, he added. The industry has been working towards this for about a year.

According to K Chandrasekhar, manager, India Operations, WQA, “We need to evaluate the Indian conditions and come up with standards.”

 

Pothole filling works begin in Madikeri

Tuesday, 28 July 2009 10:21 administrator
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Deccan Herald 28.07.2009

Pothole filling works begin in Madikeri
Madikeri, dhns:

As the rains have receded, the City Municipal Council has started the work on filling the potholes. All the potholes will be filled if rain stops for some days, said Municipal Commissioner K Srikanth Rao.

 

He said it has been decided to fill potholes in General Thimmaiah Circle till the Convent Junction, Chowti Mariamma Temple to Vartha Bhavan and Judges quarters to Omkareshwari temple stretch.

The estimated cost of the said works has been estimated at Rs 10 lakh.
Several roads have been damaged in the district following heavy rains in the begining of July. Moreover, drizzling was a hindrance to the repair works. “The district will receive rainfall for another two months. At the same time, cloudy weather is continuing, We will take action depending on the weather.”

With the CMC undertaking the works on filling potholes, the two wheeler riders have heaved a sigh of relief.

 

 

Rs 10.82 crore released for SSA activities in Kodagu dist

Tuesday, 28 July 2009 10:09 administrator
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Deccan Herald 28.07.2009

Effective implementation of programmes is vital, says ZP chief

Rs 10.82 crore released for SSA activities in Kodagu dist

Madikeri,DH News Service:

A sum of Rs 10.82 crore has been released for academic activities in the district for 2009-10 under the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) scheme.
 

A meeting of the SSA district implementation committee chaired by Zilla Panchayat President S N Rajarao here on Monday approved an action plan in this regard.

As per the plan, Rs 3.626 lakh for community training, Rs 100 lakh for research activities, Rs 73.769 lakh for valuation, Rs 41.33 lakh for school grants, Rs 50.10 lakh for school maintenance and repair, Rs 126.90 lakh for additional class room construction in required schools, Rs 10 lakh for toilets for girls, Rs 7.5 lakh for toilets for special children, Rs 303.88 lakh for the salary of new teachers, Rs 11.52 lakh for allowances of teachers, Rs 33.42 lakh for the expenses of Block Resource Centres, Rs 114.452 lakh for the Cluster Resource Centres, Rs 181.521 lakh for the programmes for school drop outs, summer remedial teaching, home-based education, two-month residential Chinnara Angala programme and remedial teaching, have been allotted.

A sum of Rs 11.20 crore had been released for the district under the SSA last year. Out of this, Rs 853 lakh was spent and Rs 267 lakh was the balance.

Action plan

Under the SSA, it has been decided to conduct children’s census, special admission drive, Chinnara Angala, Ashakirana, tent schools, provide transport facility, remedial teaching, awareness camp for girls, supplementary schools in places which are at a long distance from existing schools, Chinnara Darshana for selected children of VII standard, learning equipment for the new schools and upgraded schools, vocational education and labs for those higher primary school that have added VIII standard, Pratibhanveshane from school level to State level, Chaitrada Chiguru programme, encouraging programmes for the SDMC members, home-based education for special children, workshop for the SDMC members.

New projects

Under the civil constructions, the meeting decided to provide additional class rooms, drinking water facilities, electricity connection and toilets wherever required.
ZP President S N Rajarao who is also the president of the SSA implementation committee, said emphasis should be given to the effective implementation of the SSA and quality education.

ZP Education and Health Standing Committee Chairman Manu Muttappa said the schemes should be implemented in a transparent manner.

The standing committee members Jayamma, Vijaya, nominated members Mahabaleshwar Bhat, Kamala Kariappa, DDPI Mohammed M Bashir, DIET Principal Rangaiah, Primary School Teachers’ Association President Yogesh, BEOs, BRC heads were present on the occasion.

 
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