Media Release
Bangalore, May 19: Michael Sadananda Baptist, the CEO of Farmland Rain Water Harvesting Systems (FLRHS) and nephew of philanthropist and entrepreneur Ronald Colaco recently won the most coveted international award - JSW – The Times of India 'Earth Care Award' for devising a state-of-the-art indigenous technology, commonly referred to as the V-Wire injection well technology involving ground water aquifer recharge and storage. He won the award along with two of his partners, Vijay Raj and Sunil Baptist.
Prior to setting up FLRWHS, Michael Sadanand Baptist was in the field of Sprinkler Irrigation, and his firm M/s Waterjet Engineers, based in Chikmagalur was instrumental in setting up sprinkler systems throughout the length and breadth of the plantation districts. The firm M/s Waterjet Engineers was set up almost 25 years ago to cater to the sprinkler needs of the coffee community along with D H Nataraj and Sunil Baptist.
Michael Sadananda Baptist is a very popular figure in the plantation zone and has made a mark in the field of sprinkler irrigation by designing sprinkler systems tailored for individual needs. Around fifteen years back, he ventured into the field of rain water harvesting.
Farmland Rainwater Harvesting Systems (FLRHS), based in Karnataka has been in the forefront in rainwater harvesting for over a decade, with respect to both rooftop as well as groundwater recharge through indigenous path breaking national and international award-winning technology involving dual intensity filters to store and re-utilize and injection V Wire technology to recharge groundwater source. Both these technologies have found wide acceptance both in the public and private sector because of the increased success rate at the field level. His continued efforts in setting up the state-of-the-art, FLRWHS Rand D and Hydraulic Testing Lab, with the most modern and sophisticated machinery and equipment enabled them to achieve a breakthrough in inventing and manufacturing a set of completely revolutionary series of filters both in design and function.
Farmland RWH systems has helped the people to save the precious water and also power in the areas where there is scarcity for drinking water. Because of its revolutionary technology and wide spread acceptance throughout the country, with over 75,000 roof top recharge filter installations throughout the country, the company was awarded two national awards in 2009; one from Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) as 'most innovative water saving product' and In 2010 from JSW – The Times of India 'Earth Care Award for Innovation for climate protection'. In addition to various other recognitions the company has received the prestigious 'Green Champions Award' presented by Indian Green Building Council.
Now, Michael Baptist and his two other partners, Vijay Raj and Sunil Baptist have won yet another international award from JSW – The Times of India 'Earth Care Award, for pioneering a technology involving ground water recharge in the category of 'Innovation for Climate Protection'.
The award function was held at JSW corporate office at Mumbai. The dignitaries present were Dr Rajendra K Pachauri, director general (TERI) and chairman of IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change), Sajjan Jindal, chairman and managing director of JSW, Sangita Jindal, chairperson, JSW Foundation, Seshagiri Rao MVS, joint mangaging director and group CFO JSW Steel, Kartikeya V Sarabhai, director, Centre for Environment Education, and Shailaja Chadra, IAS (retd), Rajath Gupta, director, Mckinsey and Company.
On receiving the International award, Michael Sadananda Baptist of FLRHS said, 'This Earth Care award is unique, because in the year 2010, we had received the JSW – The Times of India 'Earth Care Award' for award for our roof top rain water harvesting filter technology and in the year 2014 we received it for our V-Wire injection well technology involving ground water aquifer recharge. These exclusive awards presented by JSW, recognized both nationally and internationally has acted as a catalyst to expand our business nation-wide and globally. Many countries in the European Union and parts of North America have evinced keen interest in setting up the technology."
About the technology
Farmland Rainwater Harvesting Systems (FLRWHS), based in Karnataka, has pioneered a completely revolutionized and indigenous path breaking ground water recharge technology that aids ground water recharge, especially in arid and drought prone areas and eliminates the need for indiscriminate sinking of new bore wells, as well as the delivery of water through tankers.
The innovative ‘V-Wire Injection Well’ technology helps in artificial recharge and aquifer storage and recovery. FLRHS has completed over 5000 such installations across the country. The technology aids in water recharge, reduces loss of top soil, checks sea water ingression in coastal areas and also reduces hardness and salinity in groundwater source.
The technology revolves around many scientific concepts, eliminating dirt and debris pouring in from rain water, through appropriate silt traps and positioning of injection wells at appropriate depths resulting in water columns and hydraulic pressure through a series of steps involving the V-Wire Injection well Technology.
Michael Sadananda Baptist of FLRHS is of the opinion that an average rainfall spread of 70 days in a year, can approximately help a minimum quantum of 2.1 million to 4 million liters of rain water, per injection well, percolate into the ground water aquifer, with the help of the strategically positioned injection well. This could be tapped for daily water usage.
FLRHS has spent considerable amount of time, energy, capital and other resources to help people realize the importance of conserving water by demonstrating, and educating people from all walks of life on the easy adaptability and functioning of the eco-friendly rainwater harvesting systems devised by the firm through electronic and print media, mobile units, participation in various exhibitions and trade fairs.