Bhubaneswar: In a significant move towards ensuring pristine water quality across the state, a State-level Water Quality Assurance Cell (WQAC) was inaugurated today under the Housing & Urban Development Department by G Mathi Vathanan, Additional Chief Secretary. The establishment of this cell aims to enhance water quality monitoring and surveillance, ensuring zero failure in water quality parameters from water intakes to consumer taps in all cities across Odisha.
Er. Sisir Kumar Ratho (Retd. IFS), former Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, Odisha, has been appointed to lead the Cell as the Principal Advisor (Water) in the Department. A crucial step towards technical expertise, an MoU has been signed with IIT Madras, which will provide necessary advisory services to the Water Quality Assurance Cell as needed.
Addressing the inauguration, G Mathi Vathanan, Additional Chief Secretary, emphasized Odisha’s commitment to setting global standards, citing the state’s exemplary 24×7 urban drinking water supply under the transformative “Drink from Tap” Mission. He highlighted the pivotal role of quality assurance in maintaining consistent and safe water supply, ensuring customer confidence and sustainable service delivery.
“We are taking a significant stride forward by establishing the Water Quality Assurance Cell, equipped with a specialized team dedicated to the regular supervision and surveillance of water quality monitoring activities independent of PHEO & WATCO,” said Vathanan.
The Department has already made strides in water testing infrastructure with one State-level Water Testing Laboratory, eight Regional Laboratories, Lab on Wheels in declared “Drink from Tap” cities, and the community partner Jal Sathis, playing a crucial role in testing water directly from consumers’ taps in all cities.
The newly inaugurated Cell will play a vital role in reviewing and monitoring water quality monitoring activities conducted by PHEO & WATCO regularly. It will recommend improvements in the water quality monitoring framework, develop standard operating procedures, examine water quality-related incidents, and propose mitigation measures, ensuring a proactive approach to water quality management.
Er. Sisir Kumar Ratho, Principal Advisor of WQAC, along with Dr. Ligy Philip and Dr. B. S. Murthy from IIT Madras, and other senior officers were present at the inauguration ceremony. The establishment of the Water Quality Assurance Cell is poised to be a significant step towards achieving water quality excellence in the state.