Overview
- CSIR-IICT formally handed the 500 KLD Model Decentralised Combined Effluent Treatment Plant to the Siripuram gram panchayat, which took place on Thursday and included an on-site demonstration of the plant's units.
- The facility treats combined textile dyeing runoff and domestic wastewater using hybrid biological metabolic pathways and bio‑electrocatalytic processes that are gravity‑assisted, chemical‑free and designed for low energy use.
- The project was funded by the Department of Science and Technology and presented by CSIR-IICT and CSIR-NEERI scientists as a ‘Lab to Loom’ translation of research into a field-scale solution.
- Local leaders and artisans said the plant is expected to protect drains, soil and groundwater, improve public health for roughly 7,000 residents, and help preserve Pochampally Ikat by attracting eco-conscious markets.
- Officials positioned the Siripuram facility as a demonstration model for other handloom and textile clusters, noting wider rollout will require community operation capacity, funding and adaptation to local conditions.