Neer Ezhil Palli: 5 govt schools in Chennai to turn green campuses

CHENNAI: School Education Minister A Rajmohan on Wednesday launched the ‘Neer Ezhil Palli’ (corporate water stewardship programme) aimed at transforming government schools into climate-resilient, environmentally sustainable campuses.

The foundation for the project was laid during an event at Egmore Girls Higher Secondary School on Wednesday. The programme, implemented under the guidance of the school education department with support from the Tamil Nadu Green Climate Company (TNGCC), is intended to serve as a scalable model that can be replicated across government schools and other educational institutions across the State.

In the first phase, five Girls’ Higher Secondary Schools in Chennai have been selected in Ashok Nagar, Porur, Ambattur, Villivakkam and Egmore.

A key feature of the project is the adoption of nature-based solutions for wastewater treatment. Each participating school will be able to safely treat and reuse around 25,000 litres of wastewater every day. The treated water will be recycled for campus use, helping create greener school environments while improving groundwater recharge, enhancing biodiversity, reducing urban heat and strengthening climate resilience.

Unlike conventional mechanical treatment systems, the project relies on natural processes involving soil, plants and beneficial microorganisms to purify wastewater, thereby delivering environmental as well as social benefits.

The initiative, financially supported through a partnership between Microsoft and SIV Impact, is being implemented by the BlueGreen Enviro Foundation, Chennai Resilience Centre (CRC) and Care Earth Trust (CET). During the first phase, capital expenditure for establishing natural wastewater treatment systems will be fully funded in five government schools, followed by ten more schools in the second phase. In addition, operational and maintenance expenses for ten years will also be covered to ensure the long-term sustainability of the facilities.

The project also includes a comprehensive Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) framework to scientifically assess improvements in water resilience, environmental impact, social benefits and climate adaptation. The data generated will support the expansion.

Officials said the programme aligned with the State's priorities on water conservation, climate adaptation, urban resilience, heat mitigation, sustainable school infrastructure and environmental education.

After the inauguration, interacting with media persons, the minister assured that the TVK government is in support of the ongoing NEET protest. “TVK has urged for the abolition of NEET and not just rectification in ways the exams are conducted. And, for such protests to be held in the State, prior police permission is mandatory,” he pointed out.