Acute water shortage is plaguing many towns and cities in the country and therefore recycling of waste water, both domestic and industrial, is absolutely essential but the appropriate technologies should be chosen, especially in smart cities, for the purpose, according to B.S.S Prasad, the member-secretary of the AP Pollution Control Board.

He was speaking here in Thursday in the inaugural of a workshop on smart technologies for waste management in smart cities organised by the state-level Expert Appraisal Committee and the state-level Environmental Assessment Impact Authority.

He said cost used to be a key factor in the past, but "now many companies are providing cost-effective technological solutions and there are also many funding options. Therefore, both the civic bodies and industries should adopt them and curb pollution of water bodies. Dumping the waste in rivers and the seas is not pardonable." He said in particular cities like Visakhapatnam, aspiring to become smart cities, should set an example to others.

Andhra Pradesh Public Service Commission Chairman Uday Bhaskar said customisation of the technologies was a crucial factor and the socio-economic conditions should also be carefully studied before introducing a new technology. "Many technologies fail in the Indian context on this count, even though they are cost-effective and applicable," he added. Corruption was also rampant in the country, compounding the problem.

A. Satyanarayana, of Sai Enviro Engineers Pvt. Limited, and other representatives of technology providing companies explained about the relevant technologies - membrane technology for domestic waste water and anaerobic technologies for industrial waste water. "These technologies are proven, cost-effective and eminently suited to the Indian conditions," he added.

V.S.R.K Prasad, the chairman of the State-level Appraisal Committee, presided over the workshop.

sarma.rs@thehindu.co.in

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