India-UK Water Quality Research Programme

INDO-UK PROJECT FINAL REVIEW REPORT

A. Project information
1. Project Title : Future Secular Changes and Remediation of Groundwater
Arsenic in the Ganga River Basin
2. Indian Principal : Mr Biswajit Chakravorty (NIH)
Investigator
3. UK Principal : Prof. David Polya (UoM)
Investigator
4. Lead Indian : National Institute of Hydrology (NIH)
Institution Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee (IITR)
Mahavir Cancer Sansthan and Research Centre (MCSRC)
Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur (IITKgp)
5. Lead UK Institution : University of Manchester (UoM)
British Geological Survey (BGS)
University of Birmingham (UoB)
University of Salford (UoS)
6. Indian Co- : Prof Ashok Ghosh (MCSRC)
PIs/collaborators Prof Himanshu Joshi (IITR)
Dr Abhijit Mukherjee (IIT-Kgp)
7. UK Co- : Prof Stefan Krause (UoB)
PIs/collaborators Prof Daren Gooddy (BGS)
Institutions Dr Debapriya Mondal (UoS)
8. Date of : 30th January 2018
Commencement
9. Approved Date of : 29th January 2022
Completion
10. Progress Report Serial : Project_5_NIH_4th Progress Report
No
11. Reporting Period : 30th January 2018 to 29th January 2022
12. Jointly & initially : [O1] Produce a national risk assessment of shallow groundwater
approved objectives arsenic from carefully selected tectonic, geological, geo-
for the Joint Project morphological and climatic variables.
[O7] Produce recommendations for the remediation/mitigation of
human exposure and health risks arising from current and future

Page 1 of 14
 arsenic prone groundwater.
These objectives are aimed to be achieved in the context of
contrasting hydrogeological regimes in the upper, middle and
lower Ganga with observational studies spread over the states of
Uttrakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and West Bengal. The project
was also to test the following hypotheses:
[H2] Surface derived labile organic matter ingresses shallow
groundwater systems in the Ganga River Basin contributing to
accelerated or greater mobilization of groundwater arsenic.
[H3] The extent of organic matter ingress will be controlled by
regional geology with greater ingress in higher permeability
sediments towards the upstream reaches of the Ganga.
[H4] Ingress of organic & nutrient-bearing sewage under rapidly
developing urban areas in the Ganga River Basin contaminates
shallow groundwater requires to be addressed for sustainable
economic development of urban areas.
[H5] Hyporheic zones provide an important seasonally-dependent
input zone for surface-derived contaminants and arsenic-
mobilising components to ingress shallow vulnerable
groundwater.
[H6] MAR systems implemented in sediments with arsenic-
bearing pyrite or other sulphides may be susceptible to
groundwater arsenic mobilization.

B. Project achievements and any identified shortfalls

1. Brief description of the project’s overall Key Technical/Scientific Achievements (Please
provide a brief description of the project’s key achievements. Please focus on the project’s
outputs, outcomes, user engagement and impact of the research to date, as well as scientific
achievements. Please focus on key achievements, more detail to be provided in sections 2 to
6. Please provide maximum 200 words summary in bulleted format.)
 Mapping , modelling & the first published country-specific all India machine learning
models of 2-D spatial distribution of groundwater arsenic [Podgorski et al., 2020[FAR-
GANGA Paper #9], Mukherjee et al., 2020 [FAR-GANGA Paper #10]
 Development of the first quantitative country-specific all India model of groundwater
arsenic attributable cardiovascular disease mortality [#16]
 Enhanced understanding of the tectonic, sedimentological / hydrogeological and
mineralogical controls on the distribution of groundwater arsenic in India [#2, #6, #8,
#15, #17, #19, #21, #24]
 Systematic randomised sampling survey of groundwater arsenic and uranium across
Bihar provides improved representative hazard estimates [#3]
 Characterised organics in the River Ganga and their ingress into groundwater [#11]
 Regional controls on hydrogeochemistry of arsenic prone aquifers identified [#24]
 Importance of hyporheic zones and river-groundwater exchange to vulnerability of
aquifers in the Ganga river basin demonstrated and modelled [#11, #14, #19]
 Identified vulnerability of some MAR systems to arsenic [#1]
 Wheat and rice quantified as major dietary sources of inorganic arsenic [#12]
 Key factors controlling effectiveness of remediation systems identified [#20]

Page 2 of 14
  Identified importance of systems approach to remediation [A#3, A#5, A#10, A#20]
 Developed novel patented materials for remediation [#4, #5, #22, PAT#1, PAT#2]

2. Project Outputs –Journal (International) publications during the period = 24

P# Title of the paper
1. Groundwater arsenic
biogeochemistry – Key
questions and use of tracers
to understand arsenic-prone
groundwater systems.
2. Depth-dependent
groundwater response to
coastal hydrodynamics in the
tropical, Ganges river mega-
delta front (the Sundarbans):
Impact of hydraulic
connectivity on drinking
water vulnerability
3. Distribution and
Geochemical Controls of
Arsenic and Uranium in
Groundwater-Derived
Drinking Water in Bihar,
India.
4. Remediation of Arsenic by
Metal/ Metal Oxide Based
Nanocomposites/Nanohybrid
s: Contamination Scenario in
Groundwater, Practical
Challenges, and Future
Perspectives
5. Development of nZVI-
Pumice / Zeolite Composites
for Effective Removal of
Arsenic ( III ) from Aqueous
Solution.
Journal, Issue, etc. Authors
Geoscience Frontiers,. (2019) Polya, D. A., Sparrenbom,
10 (5): 1635 - 1641. DOI: C., Datta, S. and Guo, H.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gsf.2
019.05.00
(open access).
Journal of Hydrology (2019), Das, K. and Mukherjee, A.
575, 499-512. DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhyd
rol.2019.05.053
International Journal of Richards, L. A., Kumar, A.,
Environmental Research and Shankar, P., Gaurav, A.,
Public Health (2020), 17(7), Ghosh, A. and Polya, D. A.
2500. DOI:
https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph
17072500
(open access)
Separation and Purification Kumar, A., Joshi, H. And
Reviews (2020), DOI: Kumar, A.
https://doi.org/10.1080/15422
119.2020.1744649
Journal of Hazardous, Toxic, Ranjan, S., Yadav, B. K., &
and Radioactive Waste Joshi, H.
(2020), 24(3), 1–10.
https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASC
E)HZ.2153-5515.0000507

6. Modeling regional-scale Science of The Total Chakraborty, M., Sarkar, S.,

groundwater arsenic hazard
in the transboundary Ganges
River Delta, India and
Bangladesh: Infusing
physically-based model with
supervised machine learning
7. Achieving sustainable
development goal for clean
water in India: influence of
natural and anthropogenic
Environment(2020), 141107.
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scito
tenv.2020.141107
Environmental Management.
66, pages742–755 (2020)
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00s2
Mukherjee, A.,
Shamsudduha, M., Ahmed,
K. M., Bhattacharya, A., and
Mitra, A.
Duttagupta, S., Mukherjee,
A., Bhanja, S. N.,
Chattopadhyay, S., Sarkar,
S., Das, K.., Chakraborty, S.,

Page 3 of 14
P# Title of the paper Journal, Issue, etc. Authors
factors on groundwater 67-020-01358-6 Mondal, D.
microbial pollution.
8. Assessment of Groundwater Journal of Water Engineering Singh, S., Kumar, S.,
Quality of Bijnor District ,and Management 2020,1(2) : Chakravorty, B., Singh, A. K.
India using Water Quality 52-60 ISSN 2582 6298, DOI: and Raju, M.
Index. https://doi.org/10.47884/jwea
m.v1i2pp52-60
9. Groundwater Arsenic International Journal of Podgorski, J., Wu, R.,
Distribution in India by Environmental Research and Chakravorty, B. and Polya,
Machine Learning Geospatial Public Health (2020), 17(19): D. A.
Modeling 7119 DOI:
https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph
17197119 (open access)
10. Occurrence, predictors and Science of the Total Mukherjee, A., Sarker, S.,
hazards of elevated Environment (2020). 759, Chakraborty, M., Duttagupta,
groundwater arsenic across Art, 143511. S., Bhattacharya, A., Saha,
India through field https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scito D., Bhattacharya, P., Mitra,
observations and regional- tenv.2020.143511 A., and Gupta, S.
scale AI-based modelling.

11. Emerging organic Environmental Pollution Richards, L. A., Kumari, R.,

contaminants in groundwater
under a rapidly developing
city (Patna) in northern India
dominated by high
concentrations of lifestyle
chemicals.
12. Arsenic exposure from food
exceeds that from drinking
water in endemic area of
Bihar, India
13. Impact of Covid-19
Lockdown on Availability of
Drinking Water in the
Arsenic-Affected Ganges
River Basin.
(2021), 268(A): 115765.
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envp
ol.2020.115765 (open access)
Science of the Total
Environment (2021), 754:
142082. DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scito
tenv.2020.142082
International Journal of
Environmental Research and
Public Health 2021, 18,
2832.
https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph
18062832
White, D., Parashar, N.,
Kumar, A., Ghosh, A.,
Kumar, S., Chakravorty, B.,
Lu, C., Civil, W., Lapworth,
D. J., Krause, S., Polya, D.
A., and Gooddy, D. C.
Mondal, D., Rahman, M. M.,
Suman, S., Sharma, P.,
Siddique, A. B., Rahman, M.
A., Bari, A. S. M. F., Kumar,
R., Bose, N., Singh, S. K.,
Ghosh, A. And Polya, D.A.
Duttagupta, S.; Bhanja, S.N.;
Dutta, A.; Sarkar, S.;
Chakraborty, M.; Ghosh, A.;
Mondal, D.; Mukherjee, A.

14. Quantifying the dynamics of
sub-daily to seasonal
hydrological interactions of
Ganges river with
groundwater in a densely
populated city: Implications
to vulnerability of drinking
water sources.
Journal of Environmental
Management 288 (2021)
112384.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenv
man.2021.112384
Das, P., Mukherjee, A.,
Lapworth, D. J., Das, K.,
Bhaumik, S., Layek, M. K.,
Shaw, A., Smith, M.,
Sengupta, P., MacDonald, A.
M. and Sen, J.

Page 4 of 14
P# Title of the paper
15. Hydrogeochemical evolution
and groundwater recharge
processes in arsenic enriched
area in central Gangetic
plain, India.
16. Groundwater Arsenic -
Attributable Cardiovascular
Disease (CVD) Mortality
Risks in India.
17. Assessment of
hydrogeochemistry and
arsenic contamination in
groundwater of Bahraich
District, Uttar Pradesh, India.
18. Assessment of hypertension
association with arsenic
exposure from food and
drinking water in Bihar,
India.
19. Influence of
hydrogeochemical reactions
along flow paths on
contrasting groundwater
arsenic and manganese
distribution and dynamics
across the Ganges River.
20. Neural Network and Random
Forest-Based Analyses of the
Performance of Community
Drinking Water Arsenic
Treatment Plants.
21. Impact of global-scale
hydroclimatic patterns on
surface water-groundwater
interactions in the
climatically vulnerable
Ganges river delta of the
Sundarbans.
22. Removal of arsenic (III and
V) from aqueous solution
using stable maghemite (γ -
Fe2O3) loaded pumice
composite.
23. A systematic approach to
understand
hydrogeochemical dynamics
Journal, Issue, etc.
Journal of Applied
Geochemistry, Volume 131,
2021, 105044, ISSN 0883-
2927.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apge
ochem.2021.105044
Water (2021), 13(16), 2232.:
https://doi.org/10.3390/w131
62232
(open access)
Arabian Journal of
Geosciences (2021) 15:9.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s1251
7-021-09222-5
Ecotoxicology and
Environmental Safety (2021),
223, Art. No. 112572
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoe
nv.2021.112572
Chemosphere (2021),
Volume 287, Part 2, Art No.
132144,
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.che
mosphere.2021.132144
Water (2021), 13, 3507.
https://doi.org/10.3390/w132
43507
Science of The Total
Environment (2021), Volume
798, 149198.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scito
tenv.2021.149198
Int. J. Environ. Sci. Technol.
(2021).
https://doi.org/10.1007/s1376
2-021-03326-x
Water Research (2022),
Volume 211, Art No.
118054,
Authors
Kumar, S., Joshi, S. K., Pant,
N., Singh, S., Chakravorty,
B., Saini, R. K., Kumar, V.,
Singh, A., Ghosh, N. C.,
Mukherjee, A., Rai, P. and
Singh, V.
Wu, R., Xu, L. and Polya, D.
A.
Singh, S., Sharma, P., Raju,
M., Chakravorty, B., Singh,
A. and Sharma, S. D
Xu, L., Suman, S., Sharma,
P., Kumar, R., Singh, S.K.,
Bose, N., Ghosh, A.,
Rahman, M.M., Polya, D.A.,
and Mondal, D.
Chakraborty, M., Mishra,
A.K., and Mukherjee, A.
Bhattacharya, A.; Sahu, S.;
Telu, V.; Duttagupta, S.;
Sarkar, S.; Bhattacharya, J.;
Mukherjee, A.; Ghosal, P.S.
Das, K., Mukherjee, A.,
Malakar, P., Das, P., and
Dey, U.
Ranjan, S., Yadav, B.K. &
Joshi, H.
Richards, L.A., Fox, B.G.,
Bowes, M.J., Khamis, K.,
Kumar, A., Kumari, R.,
Page 5 of 14
P# Title of the paper
in large river systems:
Development and application
to the River Ganges (Ganga)
in India.
24. Regional-scale
hydrogeochemical evolution
across the arsenic-enriched
transboundary aquifers of the
Ganges River Delta system,
India and Bangladesh.
3. Project Outputs – Presentations at Symposia/ Conferences during the project = 23
A# Title of the paper presented
1. An approach of utilizing the
industry waste in the
development of maghemite
functionalized nanostructures
for arsenic removal
2. Development of Pumice and
Zeolite Supported Zero
Valent Iron Nanoparticle for
the Removal of Arsenic (III)
from Aqueous Solution
3. Implementation challenges to
Effective Groundwater
Remediation in Contrasting
Arsenic-Impacted Areas.
4. In-Situ Fluorescence Sensors
for Monitoring Riverine
Dissolved Organic Matter in
Bihar, India.
5. Toolkit approach for the
selection of sustainable
arsenic remediation
approaches for rural
communities.
Journal, Issue, etc. Authors
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.watr Kumar, S., Hazra, M.,
es.2022.118054 Howard, B., Thorn, R.M.S.,
. Read, D.S., Nel, H.A.,
Schneidewind, U.,
Armstrong, L.K., Nicholls,
D.J.E., Magnone, D., Ghosh,
A., Chakravorty, B., Joshi,
H., Dutta, T.K., Hannah,
D.M., Reynolds, D.M.,
Krause, S., Gooddy, D. C.,
and Polya, D. A.
Science of The Total Chakraborty, M., Mukherjee,
Environment (2022), 153490. A., and Ahmed, K. M.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scito
tenv.2022.153490
Symposium/ Dates of the Authors
Conference Symp/Conf.
Water Security and 3rd to 5th Kumar, A., Joshi, H.
Climate Change December, and Kumar, A.
2018 at Nairobi, 2018
Kenya
European 7th – 12th Ranjan, S., Yadav, B.
Geophysical Union April, 2019 K. and Joshi, H.
(EGU) 2019 at
Vienna, Austria
AOGS 2019, 28 July – 2 Richards, L, Parashar,
Singapore August 2019 N., Mondal, D., Ghosh,
A., Zuniga, P. and
Polya, D. A.
AOGS 2019, 28 July – 2 Richards, L., Khamis,
Singapore August 2019 K., Krause, S., Kumar,
A., Parashar, N.,
Chatterjee, S., Suman,
S., Das, P., Kumar, S.,
Mukherjee, A.,
Hannah, D., Gooddy,
D. and Polya, D.,
Goldschmidt 18-23 Richards, L., Kumari,
conference, August 2019 N., Ghosh, A., Joshi,
Barcelona, 2019 H., Mukherjee, A.,
Clayton, G., Reynolds,
D.M. and Polya, D.A.
Page 6 of 14
A# Title of the paper presented Symposium/ Dates of the Authors
Conference Symp/Conf.
6. Hydro-geochemistry and 8thInternational 21-24 Singh, A. K., Singh, S.,
application of water quality Ground Water October, Raju, M., Kumar, S.
index (WQI) for groundwater Conference (IGWC- 2019 and Chakravorty, B.
quality assessment of Bijnor 2019) at IIT
district, India. Roorkee
7. Arsenic contamination of 8thInternational 21-24 Kumar, S., Kumar, V.,
groundwater in central Ground Water October, Singh, A. K., Singh, S.,
Ganga basin and possible Conference (IGWC- 2019 Raju, M., Tyagi, P.,
remediation methods: a 2019) at IIT Saini, R. K. and Mittal,
review. Roorkee S.
8. Development of Pumice- AGU Fall Meeting 9-13 Ranjan, S., Yadav, B.
Nano Zerovalent Iron 2019, San December, K. and Joshi, H.
Composite and its Francisco, CA, 2019
Application in a Continuous United States.
Flow System for Arsenic
Removal.
9. An approach of Multi-variate AGU Fall Meeting 9-13 Kumar, A., Joshi, H.
statistical design (Taguchi) 2019, San December, and Kumar, A.
and numerical tool Francisco, CA, 2019
(COMSOL) in exploring the United States.
arsenic sequestration
potential of γ-Fe2O3 NPs in
groundwater of Ballia
district, Uttar-Pradesh, India.
10. Guidance for Stakeholders in International January 13- Polya, D., Chakravorty,
the Usage, Supply, conference on 15, 2020 B., Mukherjee, A.,
Remediation, Regulation and Water, Energy, and Ghosh, A., Joshi, H.,
Monitoring of Water Environmental Mondal, D., Gooddy,
Supplied from Arsenic Prone Sustainability 2020 D., Krause, S. and
Aquifers in India at NIT Durgapur Richards, L
11. Evaluation of groundwater Roorkee Water February 26- Sharma, P., Singh, S.,
quality using water quality Conclave -2020 at 28, 2020 Raju, M., Chakravorty,
index (WQI) in Bahraich IIT Roorkee B., Kumar, S., Singh,
district, Uttar Pradesh A., Gurjar, S. and
(India). Krishan, G.
12. Citizen science in schools International 21-26 June Addison, S. T., Polya ,
and colleges in Patna, Bihar, conference on 2020 D.A., Chakravorty, B.,
India for groundwater geochemistry and Chakaraborty, R.,
contaminant mapping and related subjects at Ambhuel, B.,
knowledge transfer (Virtual Honolulu, Hawaii Podgorski, J. and
mode) Richards, L.A.
13. Vulnerability assessment of National Seminar on 02 March, Dhamija S. and Joshi
arsenic in groundwater and 'Recent Advances in 2020 H.
its occurrence in sdistricts of Geospatial
Bihar, India. Technology &
Applications' at
IIRS Dehradun.

Page 7 of 14
A# Title of the paper presented Symposium/ Dates of the Authors
Conference Symp/Conf.
14. Arsenic (III) remediation Indian National 22-24 March Ranjan, S., Yadav, B.
using modified nZVI groundwater 2021 K., & Joshi, H.
permeable reactive barrier- conference
fixed bed column study (INGWC-2021) at
(Virtual mode). JNTU, Hyderabad
15. Water Quality across the EGU General 19–30 Apr Richards, L. A. and the
River Ganga Basin in India: Assembly 2021 2021 Team SAPTANADI
Trends, Dominant
Geochemical Processes and
Impacts (Virtual mode).
16. Using in-situ sensors to EGU General 19–30 Apr Khamis, K. and the
quantify spatial variability in Assembly 2021 2021 Team SAPTANADI
nutrient concentrations
across the Ganges river basin
(Virtual mode).
17. Taking the pulse of Mother EGU General 19–30 Apr Krause, S. and the
Ganga - Revealing the Assembly 2021 Team SAPTANADI
visible and invisible water 2021(Virtual mode)
pollution crisis along the
Ganges River.
18. Sediment and surface water EGU General 19–30 Apr Nel, H. and the Team
microplastic contamination Assembly 2021 SAPTANADI
along the Ganges River, from 2021(Virtual mode)
the Himalayan foothills to
the tidal reach downstream
of Kolkata, India.
19. Distribution and As2020 8th 7-9 June Richards, L. A.,
Geochemical Controls of International 2021 Kumar, A., Shankar,
Arsenic and Uranium in Congress, P., Gaurav, A., Ghosh,
Groundwater Utilized as Wageningen, The A. and Polya, D. A.
Drinking Water in Bihar, Netherlands
India (Virtual mode).
20. Poor economics and arsenic: As2020 8th 7-9 June Polya, D. A.,
the key role of end-user & International 2021 Chakravorty, B.,
science informed co- Congress, Mukherjee, A., Ghosh,
designed policy and action, Wageningen, The A., Joshi, D., Mondal,
stakeholder guidance, Netherlands D., Gooddy, D.,
transparancy and the Krause, S. And
proactively enhanced role of Richards, L. A.
women for better
interventions in India
(Virtual mode).
21. Utilizing citizen science to As2020 8th 7-9 June Addison, S., Richards,
develop knowledge exchange International 2021 L.A. and Polya, D.A.
and sampling-analysis Congress,
schemes on geogenic arsenic Wageningen, The
in groundwater in Patna, Netherlands
India (Virtual mode).

Page 8 of 14
A# Title of the paper presented Symposium/ Dates of the Authors
Conference Symp/Conf.
22. Dissolved organic matter Aqua360 hosted by 31 Aug - 2 Wilson, G., Richards,
composition in shallow The University of Sep 2021 L.A., Lu, C., Lapworth,
aquifers under Patna City, Exeter, UK D.J., Niasar, V.J.,
Bihar India revealed by Krause, S., Gooddy,
excitation-emission matrix D.C. and Polya, D.A.
fluorescence spectroscopy
(Virtual mode).
23. Impacts of groundwater Aqua360 hosted by 31 Aug - 2 Lu, C., Richards, L.A.,
abstraction on Ganges river The University of Sep 2021 Wilson, G., Krause, S.,
water ingress into shallow Exeter, UK Lapworth, D.J.,
aquifers under Patna, India: Gooddy, D.C.,
Sensitivity Analysis (Virtual Chakravorty, B., Polya,
mode). D.A. and Niasar, V.J.

4. Project Outputs – Patents Filed during the project

PAT# Title Inventors Filed on Granted on
1. Synthesis of iron oxide Himanshu Joshi, 04-10-2017 30 June, 2020
nanohybrids (maghemite Anil Kumar, Indian Patent No.
phase) employing raw spent Ajay Kumar 340010
wash from distillery industry
as precursor material.
2. A system comprising stable Shashi Ranjan, Application No: Under
iron oxide nanoparticles Ajay Kumar, 202011037533 examination.
(maghemite) composite with Himanshu Joshi, 31-08-2020 Published on 05-
pumice, for contaminant Brijesh Yadav 11-2021
removal in water and its
method of preparation thereof.

5. Any other Project Outputs (Please provide information on any other project outputs not
captured under sections 2, 3, 4. For example, new facilities created, HRD, demonstrations,
policy briefs, decision-support tools, web pages, apps, datasets etc. Please provide maximum
200 words summary in bulleted format.)
NIH-Roorkee: Lab facility upgraded with Multi-Parameter Analyzer (MPA), Digital Titrator, Magnetic
Stirrer and Vacuum Pump. One piezometer installed in Laksar, Haridwar district as a
reference point for water quality monitoring in the Upper Ganga Plains. Six piezometers
installed at Sonbarsha village in Ballia district, UP for MAR experimentation. Two Masters
Interns were guided for their thesis work at NIH, Roorkee under this project. Three project
sanctioned under the project were deployed for three years.
IIT-Roorkee: Lab facility upgraded with Microwave Digester and Water Quality Analyzer.
IIT-Kharagpur: Lab facility is upgraded with Water Purification system Digital Titrator, Vacuum Pump and
Digital Stirrer. Field facilities included automated data loggers and associated supplies.
MCSRC-Patna: Lab facility upgraded with CO2 Incubator.
Web site for the FAR-GANGA project is at https://www.farganga.org/ Project publications
(mostly open access), photographs, updates and links to other resources are provided.

Page 9 of 14
Outreach video on arsenic exposure routes:
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kpAeUnOA1b0 (in Hindi)
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fT4iSqxQhT0&t=36s (in English)

6. Project impacts and/or anticipated impacts (Please provide information on any impacts
and/or anticipated impacts from the project. For example, social benefits, notable service
rendered, etc. Please provide maximum 200 words summary in bulleted format.)
 Dissemination of project outputs through interaction with stakeholders has contributed to
focusing of arsenic-remediation approaches in Bihar through the Mahavir Cancer Sansthan
Hospital & Research Centre – it is challenging to quantify the extent to which this has
arisen specifically from FAR-GANGA published papers or from related discussions and
meetings made possible by the DST-NERC funding for FAR-GANGA project
 Ongoing community science actions with colleges and schools in Bihar have resulted in
extensive knowledge transfer and engagement leading to greater awareness of the scale and
nature of the health impacts of chronic arsenic exposure
 FAR-GANGA has provided training, mentoring and exposure to multi-partner, cross-
national field programmes to around two dozen junior and senior research fellows / early
career researchers from both India and the UK and contributed substantively to successfully
awarded MScs and PhDs
 Future impacts are anticipated through disseminated new knowledge as to the scale of
arsenic attributable cardiovascular disease mortality and health costs
 Future positive impacts are anticipated through the sharing of knowledge of groundwater
arsenic distribution with the Jal Jeevan Mission and through the dissemination of end-user
focussed videos on simple and cheap methods to reduce arsenic exposure

7. Please add few pictures of the impacted community/site/plant/product/prototype (if

applicable)

Field sampling team Piezometer at Laksar

Page 10 of 14
FAR- Ganga team discussing groundwater arsenic Visible symptoms of arsenicosis - rain drop
with villagers and technology providers pigmentation - in villager from Chain Chhapra

Electrical Resistivity Tomography. Field-scale Installation of Ganga river monitoring station

arsenic transport experiment (Feb-May 2019) near Maner, Bihar (Feb-March 2019)

Sampling for organics from the Ganga river Field-training for groundwater sampling,
Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh

Researchers from UK and India collecting field Field sampling of groundwater in Bihar
data along the river Ganga in Bihar

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3rd joint meeting of FAR-GANGA, held at the 4th joint meeting of FAR-GANGA, held at the
University of Manchester on 15th May 2019 National Institute of Hydrology, Roorkee,
Uttarakhand on 14thNovember 2019

8. Shared activities/outputs with other projects under the Water Quality Research
Programme (Please specifically mention here any cross-programme level achievements. Please
provide maximum 200 words summary in bulleted format).
 There has been extensive collaboration with the DST-NERC Indo-UK Water Quality
Project “The development and implementation of sensors and treatment technologies for
freshwater systems in India” (UK PI Darren Reynolds (UWE)) and which ultimately led to
the formation of the Reynolds-led SAPTANADI Team comprising researchers from both
projects as well as further collaborators. Outputs to date include: [#23, A#15, A#16, A#17,
A#18] and further outputs and collaborations are anticipated beyond the end of the project
 FAR-GANGA team members contributed as scientific committee members to the
AQUA360 conference (https://www.aqua360.net/)organised by Dr Fayyaz Memom
(University of Exeter), UK Lead for the DST-NERC Indo-UK Water Quality Project
“FAME” [A#22, A#23]
 Additionally, FAR-GANGA worked in strong collaboration with the sister DST-UKIERI
funded NutriSam project, the two projects sharing Dr Debapriya Mondal (UK) and Prof
Ashok Ghosh (India) as Co-I/partners.
 The FAR-GANGA project team has also collaborated extensively further, notably with
Eawag (Switzerland) on artificial intelligence/machine learning approaches

9. Shortfall in achievements of activities

Activity Shortfall (if any) in Specific Terms Briefly explain what led to
the shortfall
Arsenic remediation New materials were developed and Lockdown in the initial stages;
tested thoroughly in laboratory column subsequent frequent closure of
reactors and 3-d sand tank models. labs and departure of the
However, fabrication of the unit/device research scholars to their
as the final form/product for remediation homes as per the institute
could not be done. Also, field scale norms; and finally the risk
testing could not be attempted for field associated with the field travel.
verification.

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Activity Shortfall (if any) in Specific Terms Briefly explain what led to
the shortfall
Field-work on MAR Installation of piezometers at the Covid-19 impacts and
systems selected MAR experimentation site at lockdown.
Ballia, UP and subsequent collection of
samples and time series data was
severely delayed and could not be
completed to plan.
Face-to-face Whilst stakeholders of a wide range of Covid-19 impacts and
dissemination and types (from villager to State Deputy lockdown.
discussion of project Minister) were extensively engaged and
outputs to local consulted through face-to-face meetings
stakeholders and stakeholder-specific project events
in the first months of the project, face-to-
face engagement with stakeholders at a
local level for transfer and discussion of
project outputs in the latter stages of the
project was not possible.

10. Any other comments of significance (not mandatory): No

C. Programme review and next steps
1. Any actions taken following the Joint Mid-Term Review meeting (2019)
Observation from mid-term review
In the previous India-UK Joint Review
meeting held during 9th to 10th July 2019
in London, UK, it was agreed to explore
opportunities to translate the project
output towards local direct impact,
acceptance of technologies and solutions
to address the needs of users.
Action Taken
Selected results of the project have been widely
disseminated to key stakeholders, including through:
[a] emailing links to open access outputs and
publically accessible arsenic hazard maps
[b] a series of stakeholder-focused face-to-face project
meetings, notably involving Bihar state government,
pollution control board, state health society, NGOs
and other stakeholders
[c] a virtual stakeholder event held on 24th January
2022
[d] dissemination to 100s of end-users via
schools/colleges involved in the FAR-GANGA
supported community science project in Bihar;
[e] discussions with individual villagers, villager
groups and village elders, notably through the
Mahavir Cancer Sansthan Hospital and Research
Centre
[f] discussion with technology providers
[g] discussions and/or presentations with/to CGWB
and other key stakeholder organisations.
We note that covid-19 impacts and lockdown have
adversely impeded face-to-face engagement with
stakeholders at a local level in the latter parts of the
project..

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2. Intended next steps / project legacy (Please provide a brief description of the potential legacy
of the project and any intended next steps, such as plans to extend work beyond this grant,
maintain connections with communities/organisations/networks, apply for future funding, etc.
Please provide maximum 200 words summary in bulleted format.)
This project has created a strong basis for progressing science-informed changes in best
practice and policy both in India and elsewhere, both involving FAR-GANGA partners and also
other groups. Multi-partner proposals with a broader focus, are being discussed. Research and
other funding success to date includes:

 The follow-up project “Demonstration of sustainable mitigation of groundwater arsenic

in arsenic-polluted Gangetic River aquifers of Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal,
India” (DST/TMD/EWO/WTI/2K19/EWFH/2019/201 (G) & (C)) has been funded by
DST to some of the project Co-PIs to extend FAR-GANGA’s work in developing
options of safe drinking water availability in areas of groundwater arsenic hazard.
 UoM and University of Melbourne have fully co-funded two PhDs (UoM Lead
Supervisor Dr Laura Richards) to commence in September 2023 on remediation
approaches for (a) arsenic and (b) fluoride in groundwater-derived drinking water
systems in India (estimated combined value £240,000)
 UoM, KTH & Stockholm University have co-funded a project exploring potential for
collaborative water research, including with respect to India (UoM PI Dr Laura
Richards) (£10,000)
 DST(India)/British Council (UK) have co-funded UoM’s involvement in the DST-led
GATI (Gender Advancement through Transforming Institutions) project to promote
women in STEM subjects in India (UoM PI Dr Laura Richards) (£25,000)

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