Water purifier for all from Tata

At a conference at NCPA, a theatre in Nariman Point in Mumbai, a low-key affair compared to the high-end launch of the Nano, Ratan Tata, in a bid to bring pure drinking water to a country where 400,000 children die annually of diarrhoea, announced plans of the Swach , a low-budget water purifier affordable to the masses and green in technology-made in tandem with Tata Chemicals and Titan Industries- by which rice husks filter out bacteria and nano particles which lead to water 'borne diseases.

Running on a close measure with HUL's Pureit, which costs Rs 2000/- compared to the much lower Tata costs- the technology is just as effective.

Tata is shelling out Rs 100 crores for manufacturing plants in Haldia, West Bengal. Production is targeted at 1 million units a year and is projected at 3 million units within 3 years. Unfortunately, this device will not be able to rid water of fluoride and arsenic and many questions arise as its 4 variants are being innovated.

Does the Swach conform to stringent US FDA measures? Is it truly green? How can be brought to homes that don't have running water and electricity? How easy is it to use?

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Tata Chemicals's Vice-Chairman Gopalakrishna spoke about the surfeit of capital and manpower in the group and Tata himself spoke about the need to merge technologies for progress.

Shipra Saxena of British charity WaterAid spoke of the need for private players to get involved in the public sector- as Tata is doing- to enhance living conditions and for the betterment of society.

Tata Chemicals and Tata Kissan Kendras will market the device in rural areas.