Smart Laboratory on Clean Rivers (SLCR)

The Green Strategic Partnership between the Governments of India and Denmark recently led to the establishment of Smart Laboratory on Clean Rivers (SLCR) in Varanasi. 

About Smart Laboratory on Clean Rivers (SLCR):

• It is a unique tripartite initiative between Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, IIT- Banaras Hindu University (IIT-BHU), and Government of Denmark.
• The SLCR aims to leverage the expertise of both nations to rejuvenate the river Varuna using sustainable approaches.
• Its objectives include creating a collaborative platform for government bodies, knowledge institutions and local communities to share insights and develop solutions for clean river water.
• The initiative features a hybrid lab model at the IIT-BHU and an on-field living lab at the Varuna River to test and scale solutions in real-world settings.
• The Indo-Danish Joint Steering Committee (JSC) is the highest forum for SLCR which provides strategic guidance and reviews progress.
• The Project Review Committee (PRC), with members from National Mission on Clean Ganga (NMCG), Central Water Commission (CWC), Central Ground Water Borad (CGWB), IIT-BHU, will oversee quality control at project level.
• The Multi-Stakeholder Working Group (MSWG), chaired by the District Magistrate and co-chaired by NMCG and IIT-BHU, will coordinate efforts among central and state agencies.
• The Secretariat, established between NMCG and IIT-BHU, will manage day-to-day activities, project development, and knowledge dissemination.
• The SLCR Secretariat will receive initial funding of Rs. 16.80 crore from Jal Shakti and 5 crore INR grant from Denmark to support long-term sustainability and project development.
• The Joint Steering Committee (JSC) chaired jointly by Director General (NMCG), First Secretary and Team Lead for Strategic Cooperation cleared four projects.
• A Decision Support System (DSS) for water management would analyze basin water dynamics through hydrological models, scenario generation, forecasting and data analytics.
• It will integrate groundwater and hydrological models to create a comprehensive river management plan, with real-time monitoring, data visualization tools and scenario simulations.
• The second project focuses on the characterization of emerging pollutants and fingerprint analysis.
• This initiative will use advanced analytical techniques, such as chromatography and mass spectrometry, to identify and quantify contaminants.
• The project aims to create a detailed fingerprint library, enhance water quality monitoring, and propose effective remediation strategies.
• The final project- Hydrogeological Model of the Varuna Basin for Recharge Sites, aims to enhance base flow through Managed Aquifer Recharge (MAR).
• It will use advanced geophysical techniques and mathematical modelling to identify optimal recharge sites and rates.
• Objectives include integrating Heliborne and FloaTEM data, generating scenarios for water harvesting impacts and developing a comprehensive river-aquifer flow dynamics model.

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