New Delhi: The Ministry of Rural Development has sought Research & Development (R&D) proposals from well established R&D institutions, universities, etc. on specific topics/ areas identified in rural drinking Water and Sanitation (WATSAN) sector for funding by the department of Drinking Water Supply, government of India.

In a letter sent to the Directors/ Head of Institutions, the Ministry has identified the following specific topics/ areas for sponsoring/ funding R&D projects in rural drinking water and sanitation :

i.) Mobile instantaneous/ packaged water treatment plants for calamity-affected areas

ii.) Chemicals to remove choking of tube wells in drought prone areas

iii.) Development of deep tube well hand pumps made up of light weight materials as a multi-centric study

iv.) Focus on detergents, fertilizers, toxic elements and blue green algae contamination of drinking water sources

v.) Integrated water management using specific systems like SCADA

vi.) Large-scale arsenic removal through pumping oxygen into arsenic rich aquifers (AIIHPH, NERI, CGCRI, NGRI or other institutions); and

vii.) Use of traditional plants, seeds in water treatment (to be referred to Department of AYUSH for their comments).

"The thrust will be on technology development and demonstration, and proving them in the field through trials and transfer of technology for large-scale application. The last date for submitting proposals in prescribed format is March 15, 2010," said an official.