Guwahati: As floods disrupt water supplies and contaminate local sources, access to safe drinking water has become a critical challenge in Assam’s flood-ravaged areas. To address the urgent need, CSIR–National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (CSIR-NEERI), Nagpur, has introduced NEERI-ZAR Instant Water Filters in flood-affected areas of Jorhat district.Developed for emergencies, NEERI-ZAR can provide potable water during floods and other disasters when conventional supply systems are disrupted — an issue seen across large parts of flood-hit upper Assam. With safe drinking water emerging as a major post-flood concern, as observed by the state health department, NEERI-ZAR Instant Water Filters were demonstrated and distributed this week in Jonakimondal village in Jorhat, providing flood-affected communities with an immediate and practical option for potable water during emergencies.“The technology is particularly relevant in flood-prone regions where drinking-water sources can become contaminated and access to regular water-treatment infrastructure may be temporarily affected,” said Atul Maldhure, scientist, CSIR-NEERI, who led the initiative. He said all units for the Jorhat plan were assembled at CSIR-NEIST, Jorhat, using locally available materials within two days, demonstrating the technology’s adaptability and potential for rapid deployment during disasters.The village, about 30 km from Jorhat district headquarters, was severely inundated, leaving many residents without potable water until last week and forcing them to stay on roads after their homes were submerged.In Jonakimondal, five household units and five community-based NEERI-ZAR units were distributed to enable potable water from local sources during floods and emergencies. Another 70 household units and 20 community units were handed over to Jorhat district commissioner for distribution among flood-affected residents.The units were formally handed over by S Venkata Mohan, director, CSIR-NEERI, Nagpur, and V M Tiwari, director, CSIR-NEIST, Jorhat. The activity was carried out under the guidance of Mohan and senior scientist Paras Pujari. The initiative was led by Maldhure along with Amrit Kumar, Rima Biswas and Abhishek Bisariya, scientists at CSIR-NEERI, and Dhanjit Das, Sumit Singh and their team at CSIR-NEIST, Jorhat.Officials said the initiative highlights how indigenous water-treatment technologies, local resources and scientific expertise can be deployed quickly to meet critical drinking-water needs during disasters.
