CHENNAI: The MS Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF) on Tuesday signed an MoU with the Indian Institute of Technology-Madras (IIT-M) and Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research (SRIHER) to launch a four-year transdisciplinary action research programme ‘CLEAR ‘(Clean Land, Equitable Air & Resilience), aimed at improving solid waste management, environmental health and public health systems.
The programme launched by the consortium at the MSSRF campus in Taramani will be implemented in Chennai and Warangal.
Speaking at the launch, Dr Soumya Swaminathan, MSSRF chairperson and former chief scientist at the World Health Organization (WHO), said nearly 8 million people die globally each year due to air pollution. She stressed generating stronger evidence linking environmental exposure, air quality and health outcomes are essential for informed policymaking and immediate interventions.
For Chennai, where around 6,150 metric tonnes of waste are generated daily, the programme will support ward-level waste audits, source segregation and decentralised waste processing. Similar interventions will be undertaken in Warangal, including environmental and health assessments and the preparation of an inclusive solid waste management action plan.
Indumathi Nambi, IIT-M professor, said Chennai has nearly 300 decentralised waste management facilities being closed. The closure is due to inadequate scientific and operational training for operators.