Access to safe water is critical for healthy living. Yet, large number of people across the developing countries including India have limited access to safe drinking water on a sustainable basis. In order to ensure safe drinking water to everyone and forever the Sustainable Development Goal 6 (SDG-6) has clearly laid targets to be achieved by 2030. As per Uniform Drinking Water Quality Protocol of MDWS GOI, groundwater contamination exceeding 20% of the samples tested in rural areas and 10% of the samples tested in the urban areas are considered worrying and calls for instant mitigation measures. Also, presence of chemical contaminants like arsenic, fluoride, iron and nitrate above permissible limit makes the water unsafe for drinking. In respect of bacteriological contamination, the presence of coliform particularly E. coli makes the water unfit for drinking. It is one of the major causes of diarrhoeal diseases which is quite common during the rainy season and the children are particularly vulnerable. Assam was chosen as the study hotspot as it faces problems of both chemical and bacteriological contamination in water.
Good Lab Practice is a quality system concerned with the organizational process and the conditions under which water quality analysis procedure, lab safety and environmental safety management studies are planned, performed, monitored, recorded, archived and reported. While the regulations set out the rules for good practice they also help the lab personal to perform his/her work in compliance with his own pre-established plan and they standardize every procedure as per protocol. GLP generally stress the importance of the implementing method as per guidelines. This Model also focussed on quality assurance program, lab facilities, lab apparatuses, materials and reagents, test system, test and reference items, performance of the study, reporting of study results, storage and retention of records & materials.
SIGMA Foundation has been a pioneer in the establishment of GLP Model in drinking water sector with Rapid Membrane Filtration Technique (RMFT) for bacteriological analysis in India specially in Assam State.
A four days rigorous training program was organised for lab personnel of District Level Laboratories (DLL) of Assam in two batches by SIGMA Foundation with the support of PHED Assam and UNICEF Assam State Office in the conference hall of Betkuchi, WSSO PHED Assam. The program was inaugurated by Dr. Enny D. Kotoky, Chief Water Analyst, PHED Assam who was also one of the chief trainees. The training sessions were structured in three major segments. The first part of the training programme was “An Overview of Good Lab Practice Model” by Dr. Debasri Mukherjee, Sr. Research Officer, SIGMA Foundation. During her class room session, a significant light was thrown upon all the aspects of GLPM. It was also presented that why it is the urgent need for the laboratories of Assam to adapt the model for upgrading themselves in order to fulfil the SDG 6 Goal by 2030.
This session was followed by the implementation of GLPM in the instrumentation handling sector of the laboratories by Er. Sohini Tarafdar, Research Officer, SIGMA Foundation. The techniques of calibration & maintenance of instruments in compliance with GLPM was discussed with the trainees in details. The important need of acquiring skills of instrument handling are clearly adapted under this programme. Its also indicates that how to avoid faulty data generation which has a direct impact on quality of the work of the laboratory as well as the lab personnel, provide a long life to the instrument, keep the instrument user friendly, Optimizing the cost of servicing and repairing spent on the instrument.
The third segment was owned by Mr. Rajarshi Banerjee, Consultant, SIGMA Foundation. It was a blend of lecture and hand holding training of the methods of analysis of some important chemicals namely arsenic, fluoride, iron, pH and bacteriological parameters including Total Coliform and E. coli. The Membrane Filtration (MF) Technique was introduced for the first time in Assam water quality testing laboratory system for rapid bacteriological analysis with extensive hand holding demonstration and considered as the best practices to improve the water quality testing standard. It also permits testing of large water sample volumes, reduces preparation time as compared to many traditional methods, allows isolation and enumeration of discrete colonies of bacteria, provides presence or absence information within 24 hours, is effective and acceptable by all regulatory bodies, can be adopted to monitor drinking water quality in government laboratories etc. MF Technique allows for removal of bacterio-static or cidal agents that would not be removed in Pour Plate, Spread Plate, or MPN techniques.
SIGMA Foundation received an overwhelming response from the trainees of DLL, Assam with 100% success of the MF technique and 97% success of GLPM at the laboratory level. This huge success of SIGMA Foundation in the arena of GLPM in drinking water sector has paved the way of this sector to reach the zenith of water quality assurance in compliance with rapid achievement of SDG Goal.
This technical initiative helped the lab personnel to be more technically equipped and confident after they have been skilled in instrument handling. This will lead to data accuracy as per GOI protocol. They will also be careful and aware of the safety issues of the equipment as well as themselves while working on qualitative and quantitative characterization of chemicals and bacteriological quality checking.
Significantly, Dr. M.N. Roy, President, SIGMA Foundation had graced the occasion on the second day of the programme which resulted to be a great motivation for the trainees as well as the trainers. The certificates were whole heartedly distributed by Mr. Gautam Pal, Director, WSSO, PHED Assam who has also extended a great support to organize the program.