News

30/05/2023 – SIGMA Foundation is a pioneer in innovative application of Information & Communication Technology for monitoring various programmes and processes, including those for the water supply sector. It has developed a Digital Water Supply Monitoring System (DWSMS) for (i) monitoring the water supply service parameters like (i) pressure of water, (ii) residual chlorine level, (iii) pH, (iv) TDS, (v) turbidity and (vi) iron present in the supplied water. The parameters are measured by appropriate sensors and the data is transmitted by the IOTs fitted at the origin of water supply (pump house) and the consumer point. The data is automatically captured and transmitted twice every day (morning and afternoon after onset of the supply) into a web-based system for processing and displaying the result in a dashboard. One can easily visualize the service quality and whether that meets the norm. A snapshot of the dashboard is shown below.

This has been implemented as a pilot in Joypur Gram Panchayat of Amta II block of Howrah district with support from UNICEF and Public Health Engineering Department (PHED). The officials concerned can view the dashboard and take corrective measures, in case of any shortfall in service quality.

There is also a grievance redressal App which can be installed in the Android run mobile phone of any consumer to register complaint. A consumer database has been created in the system to enable them to register complaint after logging into the system. The system tracks progress of disposal of the complaints and the consumer is also kept updated of the progress.

Another very important feature of the App is that the registered consumers can share any observation on pipe leakage/ pipe burst or water wastage from the pipeline/valves etc. They have to take a geo- tagged photo and share the same through the App for displaying the same in the dashboard. This will be of immense help to the authority in charge of O&M to immediately know the problem for taking appropriate measure. This facility provides a unique opportunity to strengthen community watch on the pipeline which leads to better service quality and prevention of waste of water.

The system is going to be hosted in PHED server for its better use by the PHED.

SIGMA Foundation is going to present three technical papers on the august occasion of “XII International Water Congress” on 22-23rd November at, India Habitat Centre, Lodhi Road, New Delhi. Significantly, 26 scientific papers have been chosen to be presented out of more than 200 abstracts received from various parts of the World. SIGMA Foundation is the one and only organization whose three papers have been accepted for presentation after scrutiny by the experts. The details of the papers are as below:

1. Dr. M.N.Roy – “Efficient Management of Rural Water Supply Lessons From West Bengal on Devolution of O&M of PWSS to Panchayats”.

2. Dr. Debasri Mukherjee- “Preparatory Approach of Water Safety Plan to Enhance the Water Use Efficiency in Rural Sector”.

3. Er. Sohini Tarafdar- “Development of Catalyst for Nitrate Reduction in Drinking Water for Enhancement of Water Use Efficiency in Water Industry”.

SIGMA Foundation was invited in a workshop on “Menstrual Hygiene Management: Access Livelihood and Disposal Issues” jointly organised by Fulcrum Hygiene Solutions and UTSA on 28th November, 2018 in Rotary Sadan, Kolkata. On behalf of SIGMA Foundation Dr. Baishali Bal, Mayuri Sen and Sohini Tarafdar attended the program. Interactions were held with Government Functionaries of Department of Panchayat & Rural Development, Public Health & Engineering Department, officials from Howrah Zilla Parishad, scientists from ICAR and several national and international NGOs.

he India UK Water Centre (IUKWC) is a virtual Joint Centre between the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES), Govt of India and the Natural Environmental Research Council (NERC), UK; hosted by the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology in India and the Centre for Ecology & Hydrology in the UK. IUKWC implemented its first set of Grassroots Field Exposure Initiative (GFES) from 13th December to 15th December 2018 in Kolkata. It was aimed to promote the assimilation of local knowledge and users’ experiences to progress the concept of co-production and co-design and facilitate user feedback into science and policy. On behalf of SIGMA Foundation Dr. Debasri Mukherjee attended the workshop and shared her thoughts on water quality scenario in West Bengal context. Dr. Mukherjee clearly stated the mitigation measures of fluoride affected districts in West Bengal especially Tapan and Gangarampur block of Dakshin Dinajpur where Public Health Engineering Department (PHED) is suppling safe drinking water in 482 villages and 1,547 habitations. In context of arsenic affected blocks of Habra-I, Habra-II and Gaighata in North 24 Parganas, PHED is supplying water in 327 rural mouzas and 799 habitations.

SIGMA Foundation got the opportunity to present the paper on “Environmental Enteropathy” which was jointly written by Dr. M. N. Roy and Dr. Debasri Mukherjee during the ‘INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE on Human Health and Sustainable Development Global Environmental Challenges’ at JNU New Delhi, on the 11th of January 2019. This conference was technically and financially supported by Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change GOI, ESDACON, JNU, CSIR NEERI and Metropolitan University San Juan PR, USA. Dr. Debasri Mukherjee presented a paper on Environmental Enteropathy which was closely associated with the poor sanitary status and high incidence of stunting status in India.

European Union organised a Water Conference on the 13th to 15th March in Paris, France where SIGMA Foundation got the opportunity to release a video on water through French Embassy. This video covered the following issues as per Embassy’s requirement: Sustainable Development Goal 6 (SDG – 6) has laid a specific target to be achieved by 2030 in order to ensure safe drinking water for everyone.

SIGMA Foundation took a stride forward to leave no one behind by celebrating “World Water Day 2019 themed leaving no one behind” at the grassroot level with the community cluster of FSP, SOS Children’s Village, Kolkata (slum areas of Rajarhat and Narayanpur). The initiative was led by Dr. Debasri Mukherjee, Dr. Sabari Bandopadhyay and Soumyajit Basu. The Team focused on generating technical as well as behavioural awareness about water safety and security amongst the community. SIGMA Foundation took an initiative to take science to grassroot level by intriguing the concept of reduction in ground water table and recharge of aquifers amongst the community to make water security a mass movement in rural Bengal.

The Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) aims to provide potable piped water to every rural household in India by 2024. To facilitate the above mission in the country, five 2-day consultative regional workshops have been scheduled to be organised by Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation under Ministry of Jal Shakti with important stake holders and water activists from all the states. West Bengal has been invited to participate in the workshop on 11th and 12th September held in Puri, Orissa with other 6 states (Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, West Bengal and A&N Islands).

SIGMA Foundation has been identified amongst the most competent NGOs from West Bengal followed by Ramkrishna Mission Lokshiksha Parishad, PRADAN and Water for People with support of UNICEF. Mr. Ritaban Mitra, Hydrogeologist has been invited to attend the consultation workshop on behalf of SIGMA Foundation to impart his significant contributions on providing a critical picture of existing water supply and demand situation in the state of West Bengal. The discussion will focus on the present innovative practices presently implemented and challenges faced in the State. SIGMA Foundation with its extensive experience of working at community level all over the country is all set to work at the grass root level for water management including creation of local infrastructure for source sustainability under JJM.