Subrata Chakraborty

Happening today in Rajasthan! @CSEINDIA is bringing together Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) and key stakeholders from across Rajasthan for a state-level workshop on Faecal Sludge and Septage Management (FSSM). The workshop will focus on moving beyond infrastructure to ensure sustainable, effective service delivery, with discussions on operational sustainability, institutional coordination and governance. The workshop will also draw on experiences from other states, with a focus on occupational health and safety, IEC and BCC, and stronger monitoring systems. Know more: cseindia.org/from-infrastruc…

Earlier this week in Udaipur, we wrapped up a state-level workshop, "From Infrastructure to Service Delivery: Advancing Sustainable FSSM in Rajasthan," hosted in collaboration with Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban), Directorate of Local Bodies, Govt of Rajasthan (@SmdsbmU). Over 60 municipal officials from across the state joined us to discuss what it actually takes to make Faecal Sludge and Septage Management (FSSM) work on the ground. Sh. K K Gupta, Brand Ambassador of @SmdsbmU, set the tone with a keynote on how integral FSSM is to hitting the larger goals of SBM and other national missions. We also brought in perspectives from Uttar Pradesh and Odisha, giving officials an opportunity to learn from experiences in other states.

CSE's @Swati13488, Deputy Programme Manager, Water Programme, was invited as a panel expert at the South Asia Rainwater Network's half-day workshop, "Turning Rain into Resilience," last week, during the EAW Aqua Global Exhibition 2026 at Bharat Mandapam. The workshop brought together rainwater harvesting practitioners, innovators and campaigners from India, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, Switzerland and other countries to exchange best practices, policy perspectives and technological innovations in rainwater harvesting. Speaking in the session, "Innovation in Rainwater Harvesting: Technology, Design and Future Solutions," Swati highlighted the importance of combining traditional wisdom with modern approaches to water management. She noted that as AI-driven infrastructure increases demand for freshwater, traditional rainwater harvesting practices will become even more critical in helping communities secure their water future.

CSE's @DadhichJp , Deputy Programme Manager, Water Programme (CSE) was invited as an expert speaker in a two-day technical workshop for capacity building of officials on DPR Preparation and Betwa River Rejuvenation, organised by @cleanganganmcg and Department of Urban Development & Housing MP at Bhopal, from June 30 to July 1, 2026. The workshop focused on building the capacity of government officials involved in preparing Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) for river rejuvenation. Jyoti delivered technical sessions on: • Constructed Wetlands and Decentralised Wastewater Treatment Systems • Reuse and resource recovery from treated water and sludge Swipe to see highlights from the workshop and media coverage.

National Mission for Clean Ganga (@cleanganganmcg) invited the @CSEINDIA to present the city level action plan for reuse of treated water for Agra and Prayagraj at the 19th Meeting of the Empowered Task Force on Ganga Rejuvenation, chaired by Hon'ble Union Minister for Jal Shakti, Shri @CRPaatil .  A major focus of the meeting was the Safe Reuse of Treated Wastewater, an area in which CSE has been playing a pioneering role by supporting states and cities in shifting from wastewater disposal to resource recovery and reuse. @singhal_sumita. Programme Manager, CSE presented the action plans which identify practical and scalable opportunities for utilising treated wastewater across sectors such as thermal power plants, railways, urban landscaping, agriculture, and other non-potable applications. During the meeting, the Hon'ble Minister reviewed the reuse action plans and emphasised that treated wastewater must comply with prescribed quality standards and be subject to regular monitoring to ensure safe reuse, particularly for irrigation and other public applications. The meeting brought together senior leadership from the @DoWRRDGR_MoJS , National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG), @MoHUA_India , @MinOfPower , @PIBHomeAffairs , and representatives from participating state governments.

Nearly 30% of India's urban population lives in settlements without formal urban governance. As cities expand, they absorb the villages that surround them, creating vast, rapidly changing landscapes that exist between the rural and the urban, often classified as peri-urban zones. Peri-urban areas are fastest-growing, most environmentally stressed, most critical to sustainable urbanisation, and least researched parts of the urban system. They are where the city's future footprint is laid down — usually without a plan. However, many peri-urban settlements remain legally classified as villages despite functioning like towns. This means they often miss out on both rural development schemes and urban infrastructure investments, creating a governance vacuum. Read the full article by @singhal_sumita and @DadhichJp to know more about the challenges and opportunities shaping India's peri-urban transition: downtoearth.org.in/water/clo…

Despite an active monsoon across parts of India, more than half of the country's major reservoirs remain below 50% capacity. Speaking to Press Trust of India (@PTI_News), CSE's Susmita Sengupta (@lakewarriors) explains why climate change, declining reservoir levels and inefficient long-distance water supply systems are making cities increasingly vulnerable. She underscores the urgent need to restore local waterbodies, manage wastewater and strengthen decentralised water systems to build long-term water resilience. Watch the full interview: youtu.be/KBkLx_AD91A?si=dvO2… Read the Hindu businessline coverage: thehindubusinessline.com/eco…

Twenty officials from over 10 Urban Local Bodies across Rajasthan are participating in CSE's residential training programme on Operation and Maintenance of Faecal Sludge and Septage Management (FSSM) Systems at the Anil Agarwal Environment Training Institute (AAETI), Nimli. Organised by CSE's Water Programme in collaboration with the Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban) and the Directorate of Local Bodies, Rajasthan, the training is strengthening the capacity of engineers, supervisors and operators through sessions on FSSM fundamentals, treatment processes, plant operation and maintenance, and strategies to improve the efficiency of Faecal Sludge Treatment Plants (FSTPs). Stay tuned for more information!

Last week, CSE's Water Programme, in collaboration with the Directorate of Local Bodies, Rajasthan, organised a three-day residential training programme on "Operation and Maintenance of Faecal Sludge Treatment Plants" at the Anil Agarwal Environment Training Institute (AAETI), Nimli, Rajasthan. The programme was designed to strengthen the technical and operational capacities of Urban Local Body officials responsible for the operation and management of faecal sludge treatment plants across Rajasthan. The first two days comprised intensive classroom sessions covering both the fundamentals and advanced aspects of FSTP operation and maintenance. The sessions were delivered by in-house experts from CSE along with a technical expert from MVR Technology. On the third day, participants visited the Kishangarh Bas Faecal Sludge Treatment Plant for hands-on field exposure. The training was attended by Assistant Engineers, Junior Engineers and Supervisors representing Urban Local Bodies from across Rajasthan. Over the three days, participants covered key aspects of faecal sludge treatment plant operation and maintenance through technical sessions, interactive discussions and field-based learning.

CSE's Water Programme has kicked off a four-day residential training programme on "Onsite Bulk Institutional Sewage Management" from July 28-31, 2026, at the Anil Agarwal Environment Training Institute (AAETI), Nimli, Rajasthan. The training has brought together 25 senior government officials from State Pollution Control Boards, Municipal Corporations and Urban Development Departments across India to strengthen capacities for effective onsite bulk sewage management. Designed to bridge policy, planning and implementation, the programme combines expert lectures, interactive discussions, group exercises, case studies, hands-on learning and exposure visits, equipping participants with practical knowledge and solutions for sustainable bulk sewage management. To know more, visit: cseindia.org/residential-tra…

CSE is inviting applications for an Integrated Online and Residential Training on Bulk Reuse of Used Water. 👉 Aug 27 to Sept 10, 2026: Part A (online) will cover the fundamentals of decentralised wastewater management. 👉October 6 to 9, 2026: Part B (onsite) will be translating concepts into practice through an advanced programme. The programme will combine policy perspectives with practical experiences, showcasing both successful and underperforming on-site wastewater treatment systems in institutional, residential and commercial settings. To know more about the integrated training, visit: cseindia.org/bulk-reuse-of-u…

How often do you get water at home? Is it round the clock or is there a fixed window - when you rush to fill every bucket, every vessel you own? And when it runs out, does it disrupt your day? For most of Pune’s roughly 77 lakh residents, that last question is far from hypothetical. The city has long relied on scheduled, rather than on-demand, water supply and that schedule has now become more restrictive. Starting June 15th, 2026, Pune is on an alternate-day water supply schedule until August 20, 2026. Watch the full video to know why Pune is facing a water shortage: youtu.be/tOlMqo4Q3AQ?si=stwk… @down2earthindia @sunitanar @JoelMichaelhps

📢 Inviting applications for a three-day residential training programme on Operation and Maintenance of Faecal Sludge and Septage Management Systems. Training highlights: 1. Core Strategy and Planning ▶️ Current status and progress of FSSM in Rajasthan ▶️Fundamentals of FSSM and the sanitation value chain ▶️Planning and management of daily O&M activities ▶️Strategies for enhancing plant capacity (urban-rural convergence, IEC activities, and regulatory measures) 2. Plant Operations and Safety ▶️Key lessons from existing FSTPs to improve performance ▶️Planning and management of operation and maintenance activities ▶️Occupational health and safety practices for treatment plant personnel ▶️Testing and monitoring protocols ▶️Emergency response procedures at facilities ▶️Documentation, reporting, monitoring systems 3. Innovation and Practical Learning ▶️Exposure to innovative treatment technologies and operational practices ▶️Field visit to an operational FSTP for practical learning and experience sharing Click the link below to view eligibility criteria and secure your spot: cseindia.org/operation-and-m…

Last week, CSE and @tatatrusts brought together policymakers, researchers, and practitioners in New Delhi for a workshop on Water and Wastewater Management in Rural Areas, building on state-level consultations held in Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan. The workshop focused on consolidating the gains of the @jaljeevan_ while strengthening rural water systems through source sustainability, greywater circularity and improved governance. Opening the discussions, @sunitanar reflected on CSE’s four decades of work on water and highlighted how climate change has intensified existing challenges. She underlined the continued relevance of traditional water wisdom alongside new research and emerging solutions. @DivyangWaghela spoke about the CSE–Tata Trusts partnership and the importance of using data and technology to address next-generation water challenges. Yugal Joshi emphasised the need for stronger interdepartmental coordination and sustaining community trust in JJM water supply systems, while Ashok K K Meena outlined the vision for JJM 2.0, centred on community ownership of water sources and long-term sustainability. The first panel on greywater management explored solutions ranging from soak pits and kitchen gardens to constructed wetlands and biofilters, while also stressing the importance of monitoring systems that are accessible and usable for communities. Discussions highlighted the need for village-led planning, robust water quality monitoring, and sustainable operation and maintenance systems. The second panel on source protection and recharge focused on the urgent need to address groundwater depletion, strengthen watershed convergence and scale up monitoring systems. To know about the event and the reports released, visit: cseindia.org/workshop-water-… Press release: cseindia.org/local-communiti…

"The Jal Jeevan Mission 2.0 now aims to strengthen the Gram Panchayats and Gram Sabhas – the third level of governance in rural areas – so that they can own and operate the water and wastewater management systems.” Ashok K K Meena, IAS, secretary, Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation, @DoWRRDGR_MoJS emphasised the government’s focus on passing on the management of water resources to local communities and management bodies at the national workshop.

“Resilience is about reworking current practices for a water-wise and water-secure future.” Speaking at today’s workshop on "Water and Wastewater Management in Rural Areas", CSE Director General @sunitanar underscored the urgent need to rethink how India manages water in the face of a climate-risked world. "Our water crisis is about our inability to build an affordable system of water management to supply clean water to all; take back and recycle the used water of all. The mismanagement of our water systems is going to only make the impacts of climate change worse", she added.

India meets all-time high demand of 270.8 GW. Over the past week, India’s peak power demand has continued to climb to successive new highs, rising from 257.3 GW on May 18 to 260.4 GW on May 19, further to 265 GW on May 20, and ultimately reaching a record 270.8 GW on May 21, according to the @MinOfPower. Renewable energy (RE) including hydro contributed 34 per cent to the peak demand, while contributing 28.9 per cent to the total energy generation for the day. Key highlights from the day: 1️⃣ Wind energy’s absolute capacity during the peak demand stood at 13.6 GW, a rise of 9 GW in comparison to April 25’s peak demand. 2️⃣ The total generation from RE including hydro 1,628 million units (MU), an increase of 289 MU from April 25 or a 21.5 per cent increase within the time span. 3️⃣ Peak demand stayed above 260 GW for approximately 3 hours between 2 to 5pm, highlighting the impact of sustained heat during the day on the power consumption, 4️⃣ Maharashtra (31.5GW) recorded the highest contribution to the day’s peak demand, followed by Uttar Pradesh (29 GW) and Gujarat (25.9 GW). 5️⃣ Coal-based thermal remained the mainstay throughout the day, with 171.7 GW on board during peak demand, and ramping up to a maximum of 184.9 GW during non-solar hours. 6️⃣ The power system recorded a shortage of 0.18 GW during solar hours, while the shortage during non-solar hours stood at 2.57 GW, with seven states experiencing shortages and Haryana reporting the highest deficit. Analysis by @_KushagraG Know more about it: downtoearth.org.in/energy/po…