Water is the elixir of life. It is essential for metabolism in the cells to provide energy and to keep them alive and functional. Apart for this, according to some researches, large percentage of the Water we drink comes out as sewage, flushing out the wastes from our body. This comes out mainly as urine and in stool. If not disposed properly, these can also cause many diseases. So sanitation is equally important as supply of good water for drinking. Coming from Kerala, which has set high standards for sanitation and hygiene, it was natural for me to work on improving sanitation facilities whenever opportunity provided. As Collector of Nizamabad, I completed 3000 plus toilets in 1000 schools  in the district in 2002, with the support of UNICEF. This improved the attendance and retention of girl students in the schools. Moreover , they were my main change agents in the society and catalysts when I launched "Shubrata" way back in in June 2002 to build 1 lakh plus Individual Sanitary Latrines (ISLs) in the district, in a period of 6 months. Using the plank of "Atma Gaurav" of women, with people's participation, pooling up various developmental schemes of the Government- both state and central- I conceived and implemented the program to build ISLs., with peoples' participation. The program was so successful that in a year's time we could build over 1,40,000 ISLs. A study showed over 87% utilization.  This along with the vigilant women members of the "1168 Habitation Drinking Water Committees" I had formed in the district in 2002, the GE and yearly diarrhoea cases came down from 5000+ to less than 200 in a year!.

As Vice Chairman of Hyderabad Development Authority (HUDA) in 2004-05 and later as Managing Director of Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HMWSSB) I had the opportunity to complete/initiate capacity to treat over 700 Million Liters Daily (MLD)  in Hyderabad city and surroundings. 

My association with sewage treatment continued when I was the Executive Director of National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) and later as the Director General of NMCG and Project Director of National River Conservation Directorate, under the Ministry of Jal Shakthi, Government of India. As part of the Arth Ganga initiative of NMCG, one of the verticals identifies is the "Monetisation of Sludge and Treated Water". NMCG has initiated many steps for the safe use of treated waste  water in industries and thermal power plants etc  and its monetisation to generate revenue to ULBs. The sludge produced in the STPs are being used for various purposes like- soil conditioner and natural manure for agriculture after proper processing, making bio-gas, paver bricks etc.