The Confederation of Indian Industry’s (CII) Indian Green Building Council (IGBC) convened a session on Innovative Nature-Based Wastewater Treatment Solutions at ITC Grand Chola, Chennai, bringing together government representatives, industry experts, researchers and sustainability practitioners to deliberate on nature-based approaches to wastewater management. The session explored the potential of sustainable, decentralized and nature-inspired treatment systems to address wastewater challenges, strengthen environmental protection and support resilient urban communities in Tamil Nadu.
A key highlight of the programme was the launch of the report titled Nature-Based Solutions for Treating Wastewater in Tamil Nadu by the Chief Guest Thiru. Simranjeet Singh Kahlon, I.A.S., Managing Director, Chennai Rivers Transformation Company Limited (CRTCL), and Thiru. Bakan Jagdish Sudhakar, I.F.S., Chief Executive Officer, Tamil Nadu Green Climate Company. The report underscores the importance of exploring environmentally responsible wastewater treatment approaches that can complement conventional infrastructure and contribute to improved water management and ecological sustainability.
The inaugural session opened with a welcome address by Mr. Mahesh Anand, Chairman, IGBC Chennai Chapter, followed by the launch of the report and special addresses by Thiru. Simranjeet Singh Kahlon and Thiru. Bakan Jagdish Sudhakar. The session was moderated by Mr. K. S. Venkatagiri, Executive Director, CII Green Business Centre.
Thiru. Simranjeet Singh Kahlon, I.A.S., Managing Director, Chennai Rivers Transformation Company Limited (CRTCL), highlighted the significance of integrating sustainable wastewater management with river restoration and urban waterbody conservation. “Effective wastewater management is critical to restoring our rivers and protecting urban water bodies. While Tamil Nadu has made significant progress in wastewater treatment, gaps in sewage collection and treatment across urban and rural local bodies highlight the need for innovative, context-specific solutions. Nature-based solutions offer considerable potential, particularly for decentralized wastewater treatment, while urban areas require approaches suited to higher and fluctuating wastewater volumes. Collaboration between government, industry and technical institutions will be essential to scale up these solutions and advance Chennai’s river restoration and sustainable urban development efforts.”
Thiru. Bakan Jagdish Sudhakar, I.F.S., Chief Executive Officer, Tamil Nadu Green Climate Company, highlighted the relevance of nature-based solutions in advancing climate-responsive and environmentally sustainable infrastructure. “Nature-based solutions have tremendous potential to address environmental challenges at multiple scales, from restoring coastal ecosystems to enabling sustainable wastewater treatment. Tamil Nadu has demonstrated leadership in ecosystem restoration and is already implementing nature-based wastewater treatment solutions in schools across Greater Chennai. The CII IGBC guidelines provide an important opportunity to scale up these practices across cities and urban local bodies through collaboration among government, industry and other stakeholders. Such solutions will be critical to Tamil Nadu’s green transition and its ambition to achieve carbon neutrality ahead of 2070.”
Welcoming the delegates, Mr. Mahesh Anand, Chairman, IGBC Chennai Chapter, said “Tamil Nadu has emerged as a significant contributor to India’s green building movement, with 1,520 IGBC-registered projects covering approximately 1.02 billion sq. ft. As urbanisation and water demand increase, sustainable wastewater management has become critical to building resilient cities. CII IGBC’s Report and Guidebook on Nature-Based Solutions for Wastewater Treatment in Tamil Nadu aims to equip urban local bodies, engineers and planners with practical insights into adopting nature-based solutions for wastewater treatment and safe water reuse. Through greater collaboration among government, industry and technology providers, we hope to accelerate the adoption of suitable solutions that conserve water resources and advance sustainable urban development across the state.”
The programme also featured a panel discussion titled “From Innovation to Impact: Scaling Nature-Based Solutions for Wastewater Management,” moderated by Mr. Venkat Jayagopi, Senior Portfolio Manager, Energiva Ventures. The panel brought together experts from environmental engineering, urban development, scientific research and civil society. The panelists included Mr. Shreekant Jha, Co-Founder & CEO, GoWatr Private Limited; Ms. Hrydhal Damani, Director, Urban Development, ICF; Dr. Ritesh Vijay, Scientist F and Chair, Wastewater Management Division, CSIR–NEERI; Mr. R. S. Krishnaswamy, Member, Steering Committee, Siruthuli; and Ms. Kshitija Akre, SPARC. The discussion examined opportunities and challenges in translating innovative approaches into practical wastewater management solutions and scaling their adoption across urban and community settings.
The technical session provided an overview of nature-based wastewater treatment approaches and their potential application in Tamil Nadu. Ar. Saurav Choudhury, Senior Counsellor, IGBC, set the context, while Ar. Asphia Taimur, Associate Counsellor, IGBC, presented a technical overview of nature-based solutions for treating wastewater in the state. The programme also featured presentations on innovative nature-based solutions for sustainable wastewater treatment by Mr. Ganges Reddy, Founder & CEO, BlueDrop Waters, and on decentralized wastewater treatment through nature-inspired solutions for sustainable communities by Mr. Tharun Kumar, Founder & CEO, ECOSTP.The deliberations underscored the importance of environmentally responsible, locally adaptable wastewater treatment models and nature-based solutions for sustainable water management. The session facilitated knowledge exchange among government, industry and technical experts, emphasizing innovation, collaboration and effective implementation frameworks. Through this initiative, CII-IGBC reaffirmed its commitment to promoting sustainable infrastructure, resource efficiency and stakeholder collaboration to advance nature-based wastewater treatment solutions and support a sustainable water future for Tamil Nadu.
