GSAC 2025 - presentations, posters and recordings
February 2025
The Center for Water and Sanitation at CEPT University organized the second edition of the Global South Academic Conclave on WASH and Climate in February, 2025. The conclave was organised in collaboration with the Faculty of Planning - CEPT University with support from the Viega Foundation and Gates Foundation. This year, 435 participants from 23 countries attended in person. Further, 835 persons viewed the live proceedings on YouTube.
GSAC 2025 focused on themes of WASH monitoring, governance and finance. The first day of the conclave also celebrated 15 years of the PAS project - the online system for urban WASH performance assessment in India. The conclave is visualised as a cross-learning event among sector partners, academia and researchers.
Abstracts book
View the presentations here -
Keynote addresses
Monitoring Climate Resilient WASH services | Rick Johnston | World Health Organisation | Video recording
Keynote address | Sheela Patel | SPARC | Video recording
Need for decentralised market-creating sanitation innovation | Kalanithy Vairavamoorthy | IWA | Video recording
Building a new water future for resilience in the age of climate change | Sunita Narain | CSE | Video recording
Indian Urbanisation is Slowing Down | Rakesh Mohan | Centre for Social and Economic Progress | Video recording
Water and climate crisis in India | Ashok Khosla | Development Alternatives | Video recording
Keynote address | K. Srinivas | Secretary, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, GoI | Video recording
Theme 1: Monitoring WASH and climate
Tech-Enabled Governance: Scaling Inclusive and Sustainable Water Ecosystems through the Jal Jeevan Mission in Assam | Kailash Karthik | Jal Jeevan Mission
Monitoring Climate Adaptation and Mitigation in WASH: Integrating with PAS | Dhwani Sheth, Jay Shah | CWAS-CRDF- CEPT University
Changing Climate Impacts on Small Town WASH - A local perspective of Chintamani | Jane Thomas K | BORDA SA
Intersectoral collaboration for the implementation of localized, climate-resilient WASH strategies in Karnataka: A research proposal | Mohith Gowda D M | International Innovation Corps
Improving the resiliency of WASH systems under climate and social change in the global south | Anil Aryal | International Water Management Institute
Beyond Tier 1 Estimations: The Urgent Need for Direct GHG Measurements in WWTPs a case study in Mexico for the global south | Pablo Morales-Rico | Center for Research and advanced studies of the National Polytechnic Institute
Emerging Trends in WASH Related GHG Emissions Across Small Towns in South Asia | Rwitwik Sinha | BORDA South Asia
ASSESSMENT OF METHANE EMISSION FROM PIT LATRINES IN BANGLADESH CONSIDERING HYDROLOGICAL VARIATIONS | Maqsuda Akter | Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology
Theme 2: Governance and financing for climate resilient WASH
Small and micro entrepreneurs in peri-urban and rural water service delivery: Prospects & Challenges in Bangladesh and beyond | Shiny Saha | IRC International Water and Sanitation Centre, The Netherlands
Innovative Finance for WASH services | Saubiya Sareshwala,Upasana Yadav | CWAS-CRDF-CEPT University
Sustainable Water Governance and Climate Resilience Through Community Leadership: Insights from Odisha's Jalasathi Model + Engagement of Urban SHGs in WASH, Strengthening Urban Livelihood and Adaptive Social Protection | Xerxes Rao/ Meghna Malhotra | Urban Management Centre
Governance for Inclusive and Climate-Resilient WASH: A Study of Uttar Pradesh | Himanshu Chandra | Department of Urban & Regional Planning SPA Bhopal
Financial Strategy for Inclusive Onsite Sanitation in Low-Income Communities in Urban Centers of Bangladesh | Md Habibur Rahman | Islamic Development Bank (IsDB)
Climate Change Induced Water Disasters in Nepal | Ganga Datta Nepal | Provincial Policy and Planning Commission, Hetauda, Makawanpur, Nepal
Ecological Planning and Design for Peripheral Urban Waterbodies: A Case of Ahmedabad City | Mehrnaz Amiraslani | Nirma University
Water-Energy-Food Nexus Governance in India addressing farmers' inclusivity and climate impacts | Dr. Dhaarna | NICMAR University, Pune
A study on Climate-Resilient WASH in disasters: Addressing Gaps in Disaster Waste Management in Kerala, India | Akhilesh Ramesh | WASH Institute
Exploring the climate-sanitation nexus in rapidly urbanising towns in Asia and Africa: a climate justice perspective | Shilpi Srivastava | Institute of Development Studies, UK
Gender Equity and Social Inclusion at the centre of System Strengthening | Shiny Saha | IRC Wash
Theme 3: Inclusive and climate resilient WASH
Drinking Water Governance, Management Efficiency, GESI Integration, and Sustainability Strategies: A Case Study of 63 WSUCs in Godawari Municipality | Anand Gautam | WaterAid Nepal
Inclusive rural water supply services in Maharashtra | Chirag Patel, Jinal Chheda, | CWAS- CRDF-CEPT University
Exploring Water Scarcity from the Lens of Water Governance in the Ridge Town of the Himalayas: From Colonial Legacy to Contemporary Challenges and Future Prospects of Darjeeling | Suvajit Dey | National Institute of Urban Affairs
Building Resilience: Integrating WASH and Vulnerable Communities into City Climate Action Plans, Case of Chennai | Anurag Anthony | Urban Management Centre
Gender gaps in water management: a case study and Pilot Project in Mukuru Kwanjenga Slums,Nairobi Kenya | Jokastah Kalungu | Small Water Service Providers, Kenya
Integrating Gender Equality and Social Inclusion into Uttarakhand’s Sanitation Journey: Aspirational Toilets for Climate-Resilient WASH for All | Tanya Ahmed | National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA)
Bridging Gaps: Climate Change, Sanitation Workers, and Resilience in Off-Grid Communities | Hariprasad V M | IIT Bombay
Localizing Plastic Action and Achieving Circularity through Youth, Children and Communities as Agents of Change | Shruti Joshi | RCUES of AIILSG, Mumbai
Community-Driven Participatory Monitoring for Safely Managed Sanitation Services: FANSA’s[1] Experience on an Inclusive Approach to Strengthen Accountability | Samira Shakya | Freshwater Action Network South Asia
Unpacking the drivers of poly-crisis- A Case of WASH Service providers | Sanghmitra A Acharya | Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi
Designing as Though Retrofitting: A Bottom-Up Approach to Informal Settlements in the Global South | Sheela Patel | Society for Promotion of Area Resource Centres (SPARC)
Understanding Communitv based Usage of Water and Sanitation (WASH) in Informal Settlements in Bengaluru, India | Shreya Pillai | Center for Urban and Regional Excellence, New Delhi
Inclusive WASH in Maharashtra for vulnerable populations | Kasturi Joshi , Gautamee Sayamwar; | CWAS-CRDF-CEPT University
WASH Conditions and Public Health Status in Slums of Ahmedabad | Anil Kumar Roy | CEPT University
Bridging Sanitation Gaps in Chennai: Inclusive Solutions for Climate-Resilient Urban Poor Communities, | Abhilaasha N, Indian Institute for Human Settlements | Indian Institute for Human Settlements (IIHS)
Strengthening Community-led-climate resilient WASH governance in the informal settlements of Bhubaneshwar and Jaipur | Dr. Rajib Das, CFAR | Centre for Advocasy and Research (CFAR), New Delhi
Theme 4: Innovations in technology and service delivery
Rejuvenation of Water Tanks for Ecological and Socio-Economic Resilience in Kumbakonam | Chetana Raghavendran, | CIANKI Associates
Innovative approaches for making cities water secure in Arid regions of Gujarat | Priyadarshini Choudhary, Dipti Tanna, | CWAS, CRDF, CEPT University
Managed aquifer recharge using rainwater and treated used water for domestic water supply for a small town, | Ayushi Biswas | Biome Environmental Trust
Sustainable Water Resource Management for Vulnerable Populations: Addressing Water Scarcity and Climate Resilience in Southern Bangladesh | Mostafizur Rahman | Global Water & Sanitation Center
Distributed Rain Water Harvesting (RWH) Nature Based –Shallow Aquifer Recharge – Use of Graded Gravel Pits (GGPs) | G Ramkumar | RWH - Eco Terrain based Solutions
Teaching Water Supply and Sanitation Design in Engineering: A Pedagogical Experiment | Tushar Bose | CEPT University
Unveiling the Potentials of the plant Panicum maximum in vertical subsurface flow constructed wetland in a humid urban sub-Saharan environment, | Celestin DEFO | University of Ebolowa`
Resilience of Container Based Sanitation | Remi Kaupp | Container Based Sanitation Alliance
Sustainable Management of Emerging Contaminants in Wastewater: Monitoring, Governance, and Advanced Treatment Technologies in the Global South | Deepchandra Joshi | Indian Institute of Technology Madras
Optimisation of Existing Resources for Sustainability of Used Water Management in Maharashtra through Urban Rural Convergence and upgradation of existing facilities | Prachi Mendhe | RCUES of AIILSG, Mumbai
Moving towards Climate resilient WASH services through energy audit and solar infrastructure | Omkar Kane , Arwa Bharmal | CWAS-CRDF-CEPT University
Integrating Institution Building and WASH Interventions: Lessons from a Network Governance Initiative for Sanitation in Kerala | Sruthi Pillai | Indian Institute of Technology Bombay
Poster Presentations
Urban Storm Water Management: Quantifying Stormwater Reuse Potential in Darjeeling | Suvajit Dey | NIUA
Improving Faecal Sludge Treatment in Nepal: Plant Performance and Management Insights. | Buddha Bajracharya | Environment and Public Health Organization (ENPHO)
Trend and Pattern of Access to Sanitation Services in Rural Area Among the Major States in India. | Duryodhan Muduli | Centre for Economic Studies and Policy Institute for Social and Economic Change
Mapping the Global Research Landscape on Safely Managed Sanitation: A Bibliometric Analysis | Nana Kobea Bonso | University for Development Studies
Assessing Public Toilet Facilities in Kerala: Establishing Baseline Data for Improved Service Provision | Devika Hemalatha Devi | WASH-I
Enhancing Community Engagement in the NAMASTE Enumeration Process in Kerala | Devika Hemalatha Devi | WASH-I
Water Diaries: Using Oral Histories to Document Women’s Experiences of Water Scarcity in Mumbai Suburbs | Neda Parvin Shaikh | CHRIST University
Engaging health facility staff on national standards raises WASH standards | Keshab Shrestha | Environment and Public Health Organization (ENPHO)
Digital system integration for enhanced monitoring and decision-making | Gaurav Kushwaha, Jayshree Bhingardeve | CWAS-CRDF-CEPT University
Driving Gujarat Towards Net Zero: EV Adaptation as a Strategic Response to Climate Change and Carbon Credit Opportunities | Manan Pathak | New Technology Management, Gujarat Energy Research and Management Institute (GERMI), Gandhinagar
Rejuvenation of Traditional Stone Spouts ('Hitis') for Climate-Resilient Urban Water Management | Lasata Manandhar | Environment and Public Health Organization (ENPHO)
"Governance, Behavior, and Public-Private Partnerships in Sustainable Solid Waste Management: Insights from Darjeeling | Harshvardhan Nigam | NIUA
Parametric Assessment of Water-Energy-Food Nexus of India | Neha G. Patil | NICMAR University
People’s Perception On Climate Change In Gorkha District | Injaya Kumar Manandhar | Nepal Bureau of Standards and Metrology
Advancing towards Inclusive and Climate-Resilient WaSH for Vulnerable Urban Communities in India: The Case of Ahmedabad and Surat | Ayushi Goyal | CEPT University
Caste, Climate, and Sanitation - Analysing Film and WASH through an Intersectional Lens | Jaya Yadav | Bharati College, University of Delhi
Coordination Among Government Tiers for Safely Managed Sanitation in Nepal : How local government can sustainably operate a large scale wastewater treatment plant built by Federal Government | Suman Dhun Shrestha | Intellectuals Center
Understanding the Accessibility Challenges in Urban sanitation for People with Disabilities in India | Seema Kumari | North Eastern Hill University
Deciphering Policy processes of climate resilient Faecal sludge management in Odisha | Baksheesh Sachar | Government of Arunachal Pradesh
Designing a Competency Framework for Water Governance | Kapil Dhabu | International Innovation Corps (IIC)
The Need for Climate-Responsive PPEs for Sanitation Workers: Insights from Odisha’s Successful Garima Intervention | Rashmita Patel | UMC
Study on perception of sewer systems vs septic tank systems in Maradu Municipality of Kerala | Akhilesh Ramesh | WASH Institute
Used water Management Strategies for Kerala: Case study of 10 towns from Kerala | Sheik Mohammed Shibl/ Devika/ Akhilesh | WASH Institute
Climate resilient water services in rural Maharashtra | Harish Dhiwar, Raju Kothangire, Shivani Parkhi, Vishal Jadhav | CWAS-CRDF-CEPT University
Capacity building efforts to achieve inclusive sanitation and water security | Devanshi Shah, Viral Chauhan, Apoorva Bhate | CWAS-CRDF-CEPT University
Enhancing Sustainability of- Rural Water Supply in Sri Lanka's Plantation Sector: The Role of Estate Worker Housing Cooperative Societies (EWHCS) as Community-Based Org. | Tharika Fernando | World Vision Lanka
GHG emissions in sanitation- calculations, monitoring and satellite imaging | Karan Patil, Aishwarya Makwana | CWAS-CRDF-CEPT University
Lease Financing Mechanism For Scaling Up- Small And Medium Sanitation Enterprises For Expansion Of Pit Emptying Service Delivery In Low Income Areas Of Lusaka: Perspectives From Lusaka, Zambia | Pride Kafwembe | Lusaka Water Supply and Sanitation Company
Investment in WASH Sector in South Asia: A Review from FANSA’s lens | Prajina Maharjan | Freshwater Action Network South Asia
Financing Climate-Resilient Urban Water Reuse Infrastructure: A Strategic Framework for Sustainable Water Management | Harshini Gumudavelly | School of Planning and Architecture, Vijayawada
Urban Rural Convergence in FSSM: A case of Gandhidham and Anjar | Jacob Abraham | WASH Institute
Safe Management of Faecal Sludge using enhanced drying on drying beds | Chanda Mulundu | Lusaka Water Supply And Sanitation Company
Kinetics Of Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) Removal Of Anaerobic Baffle Reactor At Wastewater Treatment Plant | Manita Rai | Kathmandu University
The Effluent Diversion Unit | Bara Wahbeh | AKYAS Environmental Consultancy
The Case Study of Moradabad Amrit Sarovar | Madhukar Swayambhu | Vaidic Srijan LLP
Feacal Sludge Treatment by Vermicomposting Technology | Theogene RUSATIRA | Movimento Lotta alla Fame nel Mondo (MLFM Rwanda)
Standardization of Septic Tanks in Mahalaxmi Municipality: A Sustainable Approach to Wastewater Management | Rabindra Upreti | Mahalaxmi Municipality Lalitpur
Exploring Trends and Technological Innovations in WASH Services: Discussing Challenges and Strategies for Improvement | Shivani Parkhi | CWAS-CRDF-CEPT University
Analysis the temporal change in River trajectory | Nishi Patel | CEPT University
WASH Innovations in Action - Modern Public Toilets as Catalysts for Inclusivity and Urban Comfort | Santosh Dahal | Environment and Public Health Organization(ENPHO)
Sustainable management of toilet | Mangesh Sonwane | Tata Institute of Social Science
Maximising Capacity Utilisation in Waste Management Practices | Chandrima Dutta Majumder | IPE Global Ltd
From Tanks to Treatment: Private Sector Redefining Sanitation Services | Krity Bajracharya | Environment and Public Health Organization (ENPHO)
Towards Citywide Inclusive Sanitation: Engineering design and testing of a novel faecal sludge treatment facility for South Africa – A Case Study approach | Mendy Zibuyile Shozi | BORDA SA
Feasibility for Omniprocessor establishment in Muttathara Sewage Treatment Plant for sludge management, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala | Sheik Mohammed Shibl / Devika/ Akhilesh | WASH Institute
NBS for Waterbody Rejuvenation of Pavi Sadakpur Pond, Loni, Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh | Shekhar Ramachandran | Jalchakra Innovations LLP
AquaWISE: A Decision Support Tool for Greywater Treatment Solutions in Government Schools in Semi-Arid India | Durba Biswas | ATREE
Desludging fee Calculator for the State of Uttarakhand | Sachin Sahani | National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA)
Modeling the Impact of the 2024 Flood Event in Vadodara | Jenish Kathiriya | CEPT University
Innovative and good practices in SWM and wastewater management | Viral Chauhan, Devanshi Shah, Sagar Gamit, Mayuri More | CWAS-CRDF-CEPT University