President’s Report for 2018-2019 – Water Resources Committee

Director-in-charge: Rtn. Homi Katgara

Committee members: Rtn. Vineet Suchanti (Chairman), Rtn. Abhishek Saraf (Vice-chairperson), PP Rtn. Sandip Agarwalla, Rtn. Abhinav Aggarwal, Rtn. Raj Ajmera, Rtn. Homi Katgara, Rtn. Ravi Fotedar, Rtn. Rohan Dalal, Rtn. Sanjiv Saran Mehra, Rtn. Christopher Bluemel, Rtn. Suresh Goklaney, PE Rtn. Preeti Mehta, Rtn. Mahesh Khubchandani, Rtn. Bimal Mehta, Rtn. Akhil Sanghi, Rtn. Abhishek Sharman, Rtn. Huzaifa Bagasrawala

Status Report:

1. Jal Jeevan inaugurates 12 projects in Vidarbha region of Maharashtra
Rotary Club of Bombay’s Water Resources Committee inaugurated installation of seven RO plants, one UV plant and distributed a total of 879 gravity-based filters in four villages in the Vidarbha region of Maharashtra. These were done as a part of the Jal Jeevan Initiative where safe drinking water is provided to the villages, benefiting them with better health and improving their economic condition. Two teams from the Club comprising PP Rtn. Sandip Agarwalla, Rtn. Vineet Suchanti, Rtn. Bimal Mehta and Rtn. Abhishek Saraf, along with a personnel from Eureka Forbes, travelled to each of the villages from April 10 to 12, 2019, to ensure that the plants are installed and will benefit over 12,000 adults and children in villages by providing them with a constant supply of safe and clean, drinking water.

RO plants in seven villages: Mandwa, Shivani (Yavatmal), Zarandi (Akola), Shivangaon, Fattepur, Pimpal gaon Behani (Amravati), Khadka (Wardha).

UV Plant at one village: Wai (Wardha).

Gravity filters in four villages: Karanji, Tapona (Yavatmal), Wadgaon Patan, Gorala (Amravati).

This marks completion of the first phase of the project encompassing a total of 42 villages which the Rotary Club of Bombay proposes to complete. The project envisaged a need assessment, testing of water at each of the villages, evaluation of the right equipment that will sustain in each location and finally making sure that the plants are installed in appropriate sheds and training is provided to the villagers to operate and maintain the plants on an ongoing basis. In villages where the RO plant could not be installed due to infrastructure or non-availability of consistent source of electricity or raw water, gravity-based filters have been given to every household. A comprehensive maintenance for a period of three years has also been provided for each of the plants. The projects were done under a cooperation agreement and participation with Eureka Forbes along with ground level assistance from NGO AVGSS. For the second and third phase, we have received the Global Grant approval for US$ 145,000.

The second phase of the project covering 16 villages is under implementation and is proposed to be completed by the end of June 2019.

 

2. Rural Project – Jalna Clean Drinking Water
Water Resources Committee has also taken up a project to provide clean drinking water and water stewardship to villages in the Jalna area of interior Maharashtra. This is to be executed in a phasewise manner in partnership with Eureka Forbes, Watershed Organisation Trust (WOTR – a not-forprofit NGO recognised widely as a premier institution in the field of Watershed Development Its unique strength lies in its on-field experience), the Gram Panchayat and the Rotary Club of Jalna. Activities proposed are to provide the community with safe drinking water, repair and construct wells, construct storage tanks, advocacy for water management and improving general cleanliness of the village. Ten villages were identified and the water quality was tested to determine the type of purification treatment required. A field visit was made by RCB President Vijay Jatia, PP Rtn. Sandip Agarwalla, Rtn. Abhinav Aggarwal as also Rotaractors from Rotaract Club of HR College. We were joined by representatives of Eureka Forbes and WOTR and were graciously hosted by donor Raju Barwale and the Rotary Club of Jalna. It was decided to initiate work on four villages as Phase I for providing safe drinking water and in 10 villages for providing water stewardship training. The balance six villages will also be provided safe drinking water plants and facilities shortly. A donor has been identified who has contributed a sum of Rs. 50 lakh.

Phase 1 of the project is expected to be completed by the end of June 2019.

Adarshnagar and Sathenagar plants relocated to Dongripada & Manor schools

Despite arduous efforts and persistent visits by our members, we have reached the conclusion that rather than waste our precious resource and have the plant grossly underutilised at Sathenagar due to extraneous factors, it would better serve the community if it was shifted. This is a result of water being now made available through new pipelines laid by the municipal corporation. As regards the Adarshnagar plant, we have run into issues with the self- help group backing out due to local elements as well as water now being made available in that area again by the Municipal Corporation. Hence it is difficult to put up the plant in that locality. Since both these projects were under a Global Grant, we have received the formal approval from The Rotary Foundation to relocate the plants as follows:

3. Jal Jeevan at Yusuf Meherally Vidyalaya, Tardeo, Mumbai
Water Resources Committee of Rotary Club of Bombay inaugurated yet another Jal Jeevan safe, drinking water facility at the Yusuf Meherally Vidyalaya at Tardeo, Mumbai, on March 25th, 2019. YMV is a co-educational Marathi medium school established in 1963. It provides an opportunity to children from lower income groups to study practically free. More than 330 students and faculty members are expected to benefit from this facility on a daily basis.

The inauguration was done at the hands of Moti Saraf (father of our Rtn. Abhishek Saraf), and President of RCB Vijay Jatia. In attendance were Rtn. Vineet Suchanti, PP. Rtn. Sandip Agarwalla, PP. Rtn. Paul George, Rtn. Abhishek Saraf, Mr Ashok Chhabria, Secretary of Yusuf Meherally Education Society Vijaya Chauhan and Principal of the school Mr. Chaudhary along with the students and faculty members.

4. Safe Drinking Water Facility at Malabar Hill Post Office, Mumbai
The Water Resources Committee of Rotary Club of Bombay has installed an UV based Safe Drinking Water plant at the Malabar Hill Post Office. The equipment was supplied by Eureka Forbes Limited and is inclusive of warranty for one year and maintenance for an additional two years. The installation will benefit over 100 postal employees, all BEST staff (depot across the road) as well as the public visiting Hanging Gardens by providing safe, clean and cool drinking water. The workers and staff at the Post Office welcomed this initiative especially considering that summer is around the corner and they will have access to cool and clean drinking water. The plant was inaugurated by President Vijay Jatia on March 11th, 2019.

5. Ashagad & Talwada
With a view to attaining efficiency and ensuring that the urban slum water plants are benefiting the community, it
was decided to:
Move the Rathodi Water plant to Talwada. This way the purification plant can provide safe drinking water to the Boys and Girls hostels and reach out to almost 1000 beneficiaries on a daily basis.

Move the Ambujwadi plant to Sister Catherine of Jeevandhara Kanya Ashram Shala School at Ashagad. This would directly benefit 550 students and faculty.

Both the Water Plants have been installed. Both these plants are under Global Grant. They were inaugurated on the January 26th , 2019.

6. Anjuman I- Islam Kurla High School
President Vijay Jatia inaugurated the installation of a 1000 litre UV Water Purification System at the Anjuman -Islam
Kurla High School on July 25th, 2018. The Water Purification System will directly benefit over 8500 students and faculty members. The students were very enthusiastic and put up an excellent show at the inauguration function. The project was put up at a cost of Rs. 1,70,000 along with a contribution from Tandarust Bharat Foundation (Eureka Forbes).

 

Jal Jeevan marches on!

The Water Resources Committee of the Rotary Club of Bombay inaugurated a total of 6 Safe Drinking water facilities in 6 villages of Marathwada region, Maharashtra. Led by Rtn. Abhinav Aggarwal and accompanied by our new Rtns Sidhant Jatia and Vikas Jain, they visited all the villages of Thigalkheda, Banegaon, Kotha Jalhagir, Kolegaon, Pasodi and Janefal for the inaugurations. Accompanying them was Rtn. Raju Barwale, who had contributed very generously towards these projects.

Rtn. Dilip Piramal, who had pledged to become an AKS member, also made a large contribution towards this project against which The Rotary Foundation supported our Global Grant application with partner RC of El Tahrir, Egypt. Corporate donors included VIP Industries and Eagle Seeds and Biotech Ltd. The Rotary Club of Jalna and its members provided us much-needed local support.

This is part of our relentless quest to provide safe drinking water facilities to as many villages as required in Maharashtra. Further 12-15 villages will be inaugurated in the next 15 days.

In addition, for the first time, we have provided training in Water Stewardship to 10 villages in Marathwada region.

Our technology partner, Eureka Forbes also provides us free servicing for the second and third year under their CSR programme.

We also distributed sanitary pads to the ladies in the village in aegis with the Rotary Club of Jalna. These were part of the 1.5 lakh sanitary pads donated by PP Rtn. Sandip Agarwalla’s sister, Nina Jhunjhunwala, courtesy Rajasthani Mahila Mandal.

Thanks to our Project Manager, Nikhil Sonawane, and our partners on the ground, AVGSS and WOTR for all their support.