HT Correspondent
JORHAT, Jan 11: The CSIR–North East Institute of Science and Technology (CSIR-NEIST) organised a one-day workshop and hands-on training programme on “Aspects of Faecal Sludge Management (FSM) and Bioformulation Utilisation in Faecal Sludge Treatment Plants (FSTPs) in the Indian Himalayan Region (FSM-BIO-HIM 2026)” on Saturday.
The workshop was conducted under the patronage of Dr Virendra M Tiwari, Director, CSIR-NEIST, with Dr S Venkata Mohan, Director, CSIR–National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (CSIR-NEERI), attending as the guest of honour.
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In his inaugural address, Dr Virendra M Tiwari emphasised the critical need for sustainable sanitation and waste management technologies in ecologically fragile regions such as the Himalayas. He highlighted CSIR-NEIST’s focus on translating scientific research into field-ready solutions, particularly in environmental biotechnology and waste-to-value approaches. Dr Tiwari also stressed the importance of industry–academia collaboration, encouraging research institutions to work closely with companies and startups to enhance technology deployment, productivity and societal impact.
Delivering the keynote address, Dr S Venkata Mohan underscored the importance of systematic faecal sludge and septage management in India, highlighting sanitation coverage, regulatory frameworks and decentralised treatment solutions. He discussed advanced systems such as compact constructed wetland-based treatment plants, the LIAM process, HIM-STP, dry toilet systems and high-rate thermophilic reactors, emphasising their scalability and energy efficiency.
Prof Ajay Kalamdhad of IIT Guwahati, an invited resource person, highlighted sanitation challenges unique to the Himalayan region, including rugged terrain, low temperatures, scattered settlements and the long-standing “build-and-forget” approach to septic tanks. He advocated bioformulation-based solutions using psychrophilic microbial consortia and region-specific strains for applications in septic tank augmentation, FSTPs and co-composting.
Another resource person, Javed Saikia, co-founder of Resolin Tech Pvt Ltd., presented innovations in nutrient recovery from used water, demonstrating how recovered nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium can reduce dependence on chemical fertilisers and enhance agricultural productivity. He also showcased digital monitoring platforms for real-time wastewater quality assessment.
A key highlight of the programme was the hands-on laboratory training session, during which participants received practical exposure to bacterial isolation techniques, chemical oxygen demand (COD) and biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) analysis and bench-scale bioreactor setup and operation. The session also included discussions on safety protocols, monitoring and real-world operational challenges.
The workshop concluded with a vote of thanks followed by the distribution of certificates to participants and resource persons. The programme was funded by the National Mission on Himalayan Studies (NMHS), Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC), Government of India. The workshop was coordinated by Dr Sachin Rameshrao Geed as Convenor with Dr Ashutosh Namdeo, Dr Jitendra Singh Verma and Er Dhanjit Das serving as Co-Convenors.
