Protecting Oceans from Chemical and Plastic Pollution

Funding agency: Norwegian Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, Norwegian Embassy in India, Norwegian Institute of Water Research

Endocrine Disruptors in Indian Food

minimizing children exposure and fostering a safer space for agriculture and food market (NORGLOBAL2) Funding agency: Research Council of Norway

State of Urban Water and Sanitation in India

Funding Agency: USAID

Film Based Training Module (FBTM) on Water, Sanitation and Hygiene

Funding agency: ILFS

State of Sector Report on Urban and Rural Sanitation in India

Funding agency: India Sanitation Coalition

Governing for Growth in Georgia (G4G) activity for Water Resource Management

Funding Agency: USAID

Compendium of Best Practices in Sanitation titled: Business of Change

Funding agency: India Sanitation Coalition

Persistent Organic Pollutants in Indian environment.

Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals (EDCs) in Food and Drinking Water

EDCs have trans-generational impact on humans. This occurs during foetal as well as nursing stage. They are transferred from mother to the child in a very well identified pathway that determines many types of health effects such as cardio-vascular diseases, cancers, diabetes, kidney disorders, pre-mature puberty etc. The kind disorder which can be induced by this substance has a broad dimension. MGC in collaboration with the Norwegian Institute for Water Research (NIVA), TERI, Toxics Link, Bharat Learn and SRM University, has undertaken research studies on EDCs in food and water. This study will produce data of EDCs levels in Indian food necessary to develop dietary advice recommendation, generate awareness among communities, and support the Government of India in protecting people health.

Climate-induced mobilization of Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) in the Ganges river

This research was funded and supported by The Research Council of Norway (RCN) and carried out by The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), the Norwegian Institute of Water Research (NIVA), and the Regional Centre for Toxicology (RECETOX), the Czech Republic. It turned up some noteworthy facts about the status of POPs in India. The research reveals that legacy POPs are recycled from melting Himalayan glaciers into the river Ganga during dry seasons impacting human health and eco-system in this region. For further details, http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0269749115300087

Water Quality Evaluation Studies

We undertake Water Quality monitoring and evaluation studies to assess key pollution related issues associated with rivers as well as ground water by undertaking sampling and testing of water quality and recommend key remedial action points.

Water and Sanitation

MGC undertakes research studies in the Water and Sanitation Sector (Rural and Urban) to identify gaps in technological, social, environmental and policy aspects. We have conducted extensive studies at the National, State and local levels and engaged with communities on adoption of safer sanitation choices. We have the capability to undertake studies linking unsafe sanitation with poor water quality. Our team members have conceptualized and have been lead authors in the report: ‘State of Urban Water and Sanitation in India’.

Plastic Waste Management

MGC in collaboration with Indian and international organizations undertakes research and capacity building studies on land-based pollution sources and processes that result in transport and release of chemicals and plastic waste to the Ocean. By improving the knowledge-base, sharing experiences and discussing sound policy and management options, we contribute towards better waste management and reduced releases of hazardous chemicals, marine litter and microplastic pollution

Capacity Building of professionals in the Water and Sanitation Sector in States of India

Film Based Training Module on Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) for school students

Endline Assessment of IHUWASH Project

The Innovation Hub for Urban Water Sanitation and Hygiene Solution (IHUWASH) Project was implemented by National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA) and supported by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The three Indian cities of Faridabad, Udaipur and Mysuru were the project locations. A local technical academic institute has been set up as a WASH Lab in all cities under this project. The duration of the IHUWASH project is three years (Oct 01, 2016 to Sept 30, 2019). Mu Gamma Consultants completed an endline assessment of the IHUWASH project. The assessment presented the accomplishments of the overall project as well as conducted SWOT analysis and showed the achievements and learnings of each project city. A summary report of each project city, and key recommendations (city-wise and overall) were the key deliverables of the study.

Support Ganga Rejuvenation

Mu Gamma Consultants is working on the project ‘Support Ganga Rejuvenation’, which aims to create responsible stakeholders at national and state level to increasingly apply integrated approaches for river basin management under consideration of EU procedures. AHT Group AG with its partner The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) have been contracted by GIZ India to develop and implement training modules on river basin management as part of the Support the Ganga Rejuvenation (SGR) project. As part of the project, an e-Learning platform will be deployed where the material delivered will be disseminated among the target groups. The other key project partner is the Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, Government of India.

India-Norway cooperation project on capacity building for reducing plastic and chemical pollution in India (INOPOL)

Mu Gamma Consultants and its partners are currently implementing the project titled ‘India-Norway cooperation project on capacity building for reducing plastic and chemical pollution in India’ (INOPOL) aimed at developing coherent systems for data collection and analysis. The goal of the project is to prevent and substantially reduce the scope of marine litter from sources in developing countries. The project is funded by Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs / Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (NORAD). The partners include Norwegian Institute for Water Research (NIVA), The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), Central Institute of Plastics Engineering & Technology (CIPET), Toxic Links, and SRM Institute of Science and Technology.

Development of National Policy of India on ‘Reuse of Treated Wastewater’ under ‘Support to Ganga Rejuvenation’ project

In February 2020, Dr Girija Bharat was appointed as the National Policy Expert of India on ‘Reuse of Treated Wastewater’ for the EU/BMZ jointly co-financed project ‘Support to Ganga Rejuvenation’. The key responsibilities will entail advising on the legal process of developing a robust national policy (for reuse of treated wastewater at appropriate standards) bringing in the overall Indian perspective for regulatory, institutional, financial, technical and other relevant aspects in formulating the policy. It will also include delivering knowledge and evidence-based inputs to the policy document on reuse of treated wastewater.

Monitoring of community wastewater for early signalling the spread of COVID-19 in Chennai city

The project: 'Monitoring of community wastewater for early signalling the spread of COVID-19 in Chennai city' is supported by the Swiss Development Corporation and the Embassy of Switzerland in India. Under this project, the wastewater samples from treatment plants, sewers and freshwater bodies of Chennai are analyzed and monitored using a chemical marker. RNA is being concentrated from wastewater and viral RNA copies enumerated using reverse transcriptase quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT- qPCR). The estimated RNA copy numbers are observed in the wastewater in order to estimate the number of infected individuals in the catchment via Monte Carlo simulation.