The Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) and the M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF) discussed priorities for strengthening solid waste management and environmental health systems in Chennai under the CLEAR (Clean Land, Equitable Air and Resilience) project.

A meeting chaired by GCC Commissioner G.S. Sameeran at Ripon Buildings on Wednesday focused on the Corporation’s priorities for reducing solid waste and air pollution over the next two years, implementation challenges across zones, lessons from waste audits and field inspections, and wards and zones to be prioritised for pilot projects. Training and capacity-building needs of conservancy workers, engineers, and field staff were also discussed.

The CLEAR project, led by MSSRF in collaboration with IIT-Madras, Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research and the GCC, examines the links between solid waste management, air pollution, climate-related risks, and public health.

Participants visited the GCC’s Integrated Command and Control Centre, where officials explained how solid waste management operations and air-quality information are monitored.