Jitendra Singh inaugurates decentralised effluent treatment plant at CSIR-IICT Hyderabad

Union Minister Jitendra Singh inaugurated a decentralised effluent treatment plant developed by CSIR-IICT in Hyderabad. Designed for textile clusters, the low-cost, nature-based system will benefit Siripuram’s weaving community and is expected to serve as a scalable model nationwide.

Hyderabad: An innovative, decentralised effluent treatment plant designed to tackle the critical issue of textile wastewater management was inaugurated by the Union Minister for Science and Technology, Jitendra Singh, here on Tuesday.

Developed by researchers at the Hyderabad-based CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Technology (CSIR-IICT) with backing from the Department of Science and Technology (DST), the plant offers a sustainable path forward for traditional craft clusters.

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The effluent treatment facility is specifically engineered to benefit nearly 6,700 residents of Siripuram, a prominent hub known for its exquisite, traditional Ikkat handloom weaving. For generations, the chemical-laden wastewater from textile dyeing units in these handloom clusters has posed severe environmental and public health hazards, polluting local water bodies and degrading surrounding soil.

To counter this, the newly deployed technology relies on low-cost, nature-based solutions. By avoiding expensive, high-maintenance chemical setup, the plant operates with minimal operating and maintenance requirements, making it highly viable for rural artisan communities. Beyond treating toxic effluents, the deployment promises cleaner surroundings, improved sanitation, and significantly enhanced public health outcomes for the local weaving population.

“In the last 10 to 12 years, the CSIR laboratories countrywide have enhanced their visibility among public and industry through various outreach initiatives. We believe that if we have to move on from where we are, we need to take all the stakeholders together. CSIR-IICT has become an important link between the country’s agro-research and agri-industry. It is facilitating and supporting agri-based startups, entrepreneurs and technocrats, which is very important for our country,” Dr Singh said.

Director, IICT, Dr D Srinivasa Reddy, noted that the facility serves as a vital, scalable model that can be implemented elsewhere in the country. The low-cost template developed by IICT is expected to be replicated across various textile clusters and handloom communities nationwide, he said.

The Union Minister also inaugurated an advanced research facility for Fluorochemicals, an advanced platform for continuous-flow manufacturing of pharmaceuticals, and a sustainable engineering complex within the IICT campus in Tarnaka, Hyderabad. He laid foundation stone for a new 200-student hostel complex in IICT campus, which will be developed at a cost of Rs 45 crore.