Page 530 - AWSAR 2.0

506 || AWSAR Awarded Popular Science Stories - 2019
curative measures in areas of groundwater contamination have been a low priority in India for years, and the trend continues. Also, the investigation and remediation techniques are not economically viable in the Indian context. Hence, developments in the analytical solution can be beneficial in Indian scenarios. The study primarily focuses on the development of mathematical models and the improvement in analytical solutions, which have the potential of emerging as efficient groundwater management tools. The development of mathematical models provides the opportunity to assess the contamination effectively. The cost-effectiveness of such models is found to be very high in comparison to conventional techniques for the assessment of contamination sites. Due to a more precise evaluation of existing plumes, monitored natural attenuation or enhanced natural attenuation can be planned more reliably, thus
contributing significantly toward the betterment of the environment.
At the end of the discussion, Shashi poses a few questions to understand a few things better, and now she understands the concept of groundwater contamination. She also understands the importance of assessment for the contamination management and the usefulness of mathematical models for the same. For neighborhoods like Shashi’s, such mathematical models, as developed in my research, can be highly beneficial for estimating the range of contamination and assess whether drinking water in the region is at risk of being contaminated from different sources nearby. Her curiosity for the subject inspired me and left me even more motivated to pursue my research. I have invited her to our next open house, where I can share the developments with her.