VK Rajeev, Minister for Enviornment and Climate Changing addressing at the Sustainability Summit 2026 held at ITC Grand Chola in Chennai on Wednesday | Photo Credit: JOTHI RAMALINGAM B

Sustainability must become an integral part of Tamil Nadu’s development strategy rather than remain confined to government departments or environmental organisations, State Environment Minister VK Rajeev said on Wednesday.

Addressing The Hindu Sustainability Summit 2026 on the topic ‘CSR for a Sustainable Tomorrow’, presented by the Chennai Petroleum Corporation Ltd (CPCL), the minister said climate change and environmental protection could not be viewed separately from economic development, job creation and industrial growth. “Sustainability is no longer a subject for a specialist conference room,” Rajeev said, stressing the need to integrate sustainability into the way the State plans, invests, builds and grows.

The State’s climate action would have to be measurable and focused on outcomes, rather than announcements. Metrics could include clean power capacity installed, water reused, waste diverted from landfills, green jobs created, emissions avoided, ecosystems restored and households protected from climate risks, he said.

Rajeev highlighted the Tamil Nadu government’s proposed annual climate budget of ₹3,000 crore for climate resilience, renewable energy infrastructure, green corridors and coastal protection. He also pointed to the State’s goal of meeting 50 per cent of its electricity requirements through solar and wind power by 2030.

The Minister called for greater scientific rigour and community participation in addressing these challenges, particularly in coastal districts. The government would act as an enabler by setting clear standards, ensuring enforcement, building public infrastructure and creating an environment that would allow enterprises to make long-term investments, he said.

The Minister stressed that sustainability could not be achieved by the government alone but the private sector and communities need to work together, he said.

Kumar Jayant, CMD, Tamil Nadu Newsprint and Papers Ltd (TNPL), highlighted the company’s efforts to reduce its dependence on conventional raw materials and increase renewable energy use. TNPL uses bagasse from sugar mills as a raw material for paper, along with wood sourced from plantations and recycled paper. Jayant said the company had tied up with nearly 40,000 farmers for plantation-based wood sourcing and also uses recycled paper from Tamil Nadu and neighbouring States, he said.

TNPL was working on repowering its existing wind turbines and combining newer wind turbines with solar installations. The company currently derives about 43 per cent of its energy usage from renewable sources and aims to raise this to 70-80 per cent, subject to improvements in wheeling and power evacuation facilities, he added.

Jayant called for source segregation of waste to become a public movement. Better segregation of paper and plastic from wet waste will improve the supply of recyclable material to industries and reduce the quantity of waste reaching landfills, he said.

Drawing a parallel with Tamil Nadu’s earlier experience in making rainwater harvesting a mass movement, he urged the government, media, industry and citizens to similarly support source segregation. “If it becomes a public movement,” he said, segregated paper and other recyclable material could move more efficiently to recyclers and paper mills.

H Shankar, Managing Director, CPCL, said sustainability had been part of the refinery’s operations since its inception and outlined the company’s initiatives in water conservation and renewable energy.

CPCL was among the early refineries to establish a sulphur recovery unit and subsequently became an early adopter of sewage reclamation, using treated sewage from Chennai for industrial purposes. The company also commissioned a 17.6-MW wind power facility at Dindigul and uses the power for its desalination plant.

“Sustainability must move from awareness to action,” he said, stressing the need for collective responsibility involving industry, government and communities.

Published on September 23, 2026