UK, Tamil Nadu collaborate on smart tech project for sustainable water, waste and resource management

The UK and Tamil Nadu are working together on a smart technology project for sustainable water, waste, and resource management.

According to a release, the UK’s Minister of State in the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) Anne-Marie Trevelyan inaugurated a pioneering smart technology initiative with Tamil Nadu’s Information Technology Minister Palanivel Thiaga Rajan on Saturday.

Titled ‘Smart district administration using loT technologies for better quality of life,’ the project was selected under the Frontier Technology Livestreaming (FTL) programme, the release said. The UK-backed ‘Smart district’ project aims to address global sustainability challenges by deploying sensors across the district, gathering real-time data on water and waste management, and environmental quality. These sensors will analyse data patterns, aiding informed decision-making for efficient resource allocation. This marks India’s sole representation among the 58 pilots conducted across 32 countries since 2016, the release said.

During her visit to Chennai, Minister Trevelyan explored India’s deep-sea programmes at the National Institute of Ocean Technology, an autonomous body under the Union Ministry of Earth Sciences in Chennai, and discussed climate initiatives with Additional Chief Secretary to Government, Department of Environment, Climate Change and Forests, Supriya Sahu.

The UK Minister expressed her intent to strengthen UK-India bilateral ties through enhanced environmental cooperation and exploration of cutting-edge technologies, particularly in climate innovation. This initiative follows the successful launch of key projects during the G20 Environment and Climate ministerial meeting in July 2023.