An analysis of safe water and health resource centre, Assam

1. A resource centre for safe water in Assam:
Laying foundation for this new centre & its future
Presented by:
Jyotismita Devi
IRMA, PRM 35
INREM Foundation

2. Project Background
• Long exposure to fluoride can result into mottled teeth,
crippling body and other health hazards.
• Long exposure to Arsenic can lead to cancer.
• In 2015 February, INREM (Secretariat of Flouride KAN)
along with saciWaters (Secretariat of Arsenic KAN network
of India) opened a Water Quality & Health Resource Center
in Guwahati of Assam.
• At present the resource center is run with the help of local
NGOs there.

3. Project Objectives
The project objective was to “Make a strategy
plan for the resource center for its’ way forward
in next three years” by studying all related
stakeholders

4. Methodology Adapted
• Exploratory design methodology.
• Unstructured because of qualitative data and
information
• Study of related success stories, documents
• Semi structured interview of all the stakeholders
• Seminar & meetings

5. Findings
Three aspects need to be emphasized -
•Providing safe water to the affected community of Assam
•Proper food and nutrition
•Awareness about the water quality problem, its mitigation and
prevention
With the help of six stakeholders-
•Government departments related to water.
•Government departments related to Health.
•Medical Practitioners
•Different NGOs
•Community Workers
•Academic institutions

6. Overall Participants

7. How they are related?
• PHED is supplying surface water to the affected community
• Public Health is providing nutrition supplement to the affected
children
• Medical practitioners are not much aware of the diseases Fluorosis
and Arsenicosis.
• NGOs having reach to community are ready to work in this issue
• Some social/community workers are voluntarily working in this sector
• Academic institutes are doing research for removal of Fluoride
and Arsenic from water.

8. Institutional Analysis and Development
Framework by Ostrom

9. As parent organization
INREM and saciWaters
are the main policy
makers at present.

10. • No permanent employee.
• Running at a small part of CML
building.
• Accepted by local organizations.
• Funding agencies are ready to invest.
• Growing phase.
• No institutional arrangement till now.

11. • All the key stakeholders
• Intervention related to Water,
Health and Awareness

14. OWNERSHIP CREDIBILITY IMPACT RESILIENCE
STRENGTH People from different
background are coming
forward to get engaged so
it has become a diversity
led organization.
UNICEF, Government
departments, Medical
experts are coming
forward to help.
Microscale impacts have
been already there.
Volunteers are already
working in field and have
become successful to
some extent.
It is a diverse
organization getting
support from
organizations inside and
outside of Assam along
with GO and NGO,
academic and
nonacademic bodies.
WEAKNESS Affected community
members have no
ownership for it, they are
not coming forward to get
associated
There is lack of localized
knowledge on solutions
which can bring
acceptance of common
people.
Resource center are not
scaled up to intervene
government schemes.
Till now resource center
doesn't has any resource
generation capacity.
Funding agencies know
little about it and its'
work.
OPPURTUNITY As it accommodating
people from diverse
background it can have
multidisciplinary solutions
to the problem.
Local people, institutions
are coming forward.
Location specific research
can be easily done.
Identify government
program vehicles such as
education, water testing
etc. which can help and
make the affected people
aware.
There is an opportunity of
embedding the resource
center with other agencies
at different places. This
will involve more and
more people to it and
towards its' purpose.
THREATS Lack of coordination
among different
stakeholders is a huge
threat. This may lead to
break down of resource
center into several
individual entities. People
may deny taking
News about the resource
center is spreading very
fast through media before
reaching a firm ground
about prevention &
mitigation in local
context.
There is need of
multidimensional impact
(e.g. food, water,
behavioral change) and
long duration of time to
see overall positive result.
For positive result
resource center need to
Expectations of people
grow very fast and the
impact is seen very
slowly. This may lead to
un-satisfaction.

15. IMPACT
STRENGTH

16. RESILIENCE
WEAKNESS

17. OWNERSHIP
OPPORTUNITY

18. CREDIBILITY
THREATS

19. • Organizations associated
• Places of intervention
• People recovered or
improved from health
hazards
• Awareness among people

20. Intervention Required
Where and How
SAFE WATER HEALTH & NUTRITION COMMUNICATION
• Monitoring and advice
PHED for regular and
adequate supply of safe
water.
• Promote rain water
harvesting.
• Home filters that can
remove Fluoride and
Arsenic along with other
contaminations.
• Installing RO for immediate
improvement
• Training of medical
practitioners.
• Pharmaceutical
supplements.
• Healthy food.
• Research on local food
habits.
• Research on locally
available food items.
• What, How, When and to
Whom is very much
essential.
• Communication related to
behavioral change.
• News of the resource
center.

21. Recommendations
• Pilot project in two districts- Nagaon and
Jorhat.
• Partnership with appropriate departments of
government for intervention.
• Impact assessment in every 2/3 months.
• Forums for knowledge sharing and news
about activities of the resource center.
• After 1st
year of intervention, model can be
replicated in other affected areas.

22. One Year Road Map

23. THANK YOU …