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zSundaram Climate Imstitute

Study Name - Waste Survey

2018 - 2021, Madurai.

  • Goal - To understand the realities and perception of Madurai residents with respect to solid waste.

  • Scope – surveyed 2214 households in 69 wards (Madurai has 100 wards) in 4 (2018-2021) years

  • Brief description - Sundaram Climate Institute researchers surveyed a cross section of Madurai households across income levels over a period of 4 years to understand the waste and water realities of Madurai. Questions included did waste bother them? How? What did they see their role in managing waste? How did they see the role and services of the corporation?
CIC Event Mridula Ramesh
CIC Event Mridula Ramesh


Study Name - Water Survey

2018 - 2021, Madurai.

  • Goal - To understand the water access and availability of Madurai residents

  • Scope – surveyed 2214 households in 69 wards (Madurai has 100 wards) in 4 years (2018-2021)

  • Brief description - Sundaram Climate Institute researchers surveyed a cross section of Madurai households across income levels over a period of 4 years to understand the waste and water realities of Madurai. Questions included - What are your sources for water? Do you buy water?
CIC Event Mridula Ramesh
CIC Event Mridula Ramesh


Study Name - Bio degradable Survey

2018 - 2021, Madurai.

  • Goal - To understand the degradation behaviour of commonly available plastic packaging advertised as biodegradable or compostable in a variety of environments

  • Scope & Description– We placed six samples - (1) Areaca Plate, (2) Paper bag, (3) Sugarcane Cup made from sugarcane waste, (4) Biodegradable Bag made from Polylactic acid, (5) Oxo biodegradable Bag made from treated Polyethylene (6) High density Poly propylene HDPE Bag in five different environments (1) Open air, (2) Bokasi – Anaerobic compost (3) Aerobic compost (4) Underground soil with compost (5) Sea water. We then tracked their degradation pattern over one year (2019-2020).
CIC Event Mridula Ramesh
CIC Event Mridula Ramesh
CIC Event Mridula Ramesh


Study Name - Madurai Tank Survey

2018 - 2021, Madurai.

  • Goal - To understand how and why tanks improve groundwater resilience

  • Scope – 50 urban/peri-urban tanks from 2018-2021

  • Brief description - We crowd-sourced groundwater levels at various distance from tanks and compiled a variety other attributes such as tank size, water extent, number of months a tank held water etc. using a combination of survey data, tank visits, and satellite data to understand the efficiency and effectiveness of tanks in improving groundwater resilience. Combining satellite data with on ground research, we created a scorecard (With a Sundaram Climate Institute Tank Resilience Index (SCITRI) )to help identify which tanks are likely to have the highest impact on adjacent groundwater levels and which are particularly vulnerable
CIC Event Mridula Ramesh
CIC Event Mridula Ramesh



Study Name - Mariamman Teppakulam Madurai


  • Goal - To understand how tanks (lakes and reservoirs) can become potent job-creation engines by promoting local tourism.

  • Scope –Mariamman Teppakulam Madurai, 2020-2021

  • Brief description - We estimated the economic and employment size of the lake by counting the number of establishments and persons working in them. We extrapolated revenue numbers based on estimates gathered via a structured questionnaire (sampling rate of 10%). The tank supports an economy of Rs. 1 crore (not including the college and other structures that existed prior to this month) per annum, providing 43 jobs. We believe that the tank is capable of supporting a far greater tourist economy if adequate infrastructure is provided
CIC Event Mridula Ramesh

Study Name - Tank tourism – Kodaikanal lake

2020 - 2021, Madurai.

  • Goal - To understand how tanks (lakes and reservoirs) can become potent job-creation engines by promoting local tourism.

  • Scope –Mariamman Teppakulam Madurai, 2020-2021

  • Brief description We estimate that the Kodaikanal lake supports an economy of Rs. 46 crores (not including the hotel/ spiritual retreat/fishing revenue) per annum, providing 736 jobs. Being a highly seasonal economy, the number of jobs swells to 1200+ in peak season, varies between 650-900 for the rest of the year, falling to ~300 in the monsoon months.
CIC Event Mridula Ramesh



Study Name - A.T.E Chandra Foundation - Rajasthan Tank Study


  • Goal - The study we undertook on a request from the ATE Chandra foundation covered 10 tanks in Rajasthan.

  • Scope –Spread across Jaipur, Jodhpur and Rajsamand, 2020

  • Brief Description - Apart from desilting, repairing bunds, identifying and removing sources of pollution (many tanks did show faecal contamination), and in those locations, where local communities access groundwater, placing infiltration structures in the tank bed, would help tanks become more functional.
CIC Event Mridula Ramesh
CIC Event Mridula Ramesh



Study Name - Madurai Temple Tanks


  • Goal - Identified 15 temple tanks in Madurai and collected the sthalapuram of the temple and the waterbody from the temple priests.

  • Scope –Spread across Jaipur, Jodhpur and Rajsamand, 2020

  • Brief Description - Apart from desilting, repairing bunds, identifying and removing sources of pollution (many tanks did show faecal contamination), and in those locations, where local communities access groundwater, placing infiltration structures in the tank bed, would help tanks become more functional.
CIC Event Mridula Ramesh



Large Scale Study on Attitudes and Realities of Waste and Water

April - June 2018 – Madurai.

  • Surveyed 1000+ households to understand realities and attitudes of waste and water

  • Validation of responses by clustering of households/photographic and video evidence/ large sample size

  • Coverage of both interior and exterior wards
CIC Event Mridula Ramesh
CIC Event Mridula Ramesh
CIC Event Mridula Ramesh
CIC Event Mridula Ramesh

Book launch, “THE CLIMATE SOLUTION” by Shri Suresh Prabhu Hon’ble Minister of Commerce & Industry and Civil Aviation, Government of India, Author Ms Mridula Ramesh.

21st June 2018, WelcomHotel (Hotel My Fortune) – Chennai.

       Sundaram Climate Institute in association with Madras Management Association (MMA), on the release of the book “The Climate Solution” by the Hon’ble Shri Suresh Prabhu. We had 225+ participants from corporate, management professionals, invitees and the Media. Few words from the speakers:


“… Ms Mridula Ramesh’s book “The Climate Solution” is topical and most relevant in present environment, we are indeed privileged to associate with Sundaram Climate Institute to launch of the book today… by Ms Kavitha Chitturi President MMA, Jt Managing Director The KCP Ltd”


“… when I met Mridula Ramesh for the first time I was impressed with the passion with the commitment dedication and the drive with which she was talking about the subject of climate change which instantly happens to be my interest as well and therefore I was very keen that in my life I could never write a book so let me atleast release a book .. by the Hon’ble Shri Suresh Prabhu.”


“… warming is already baked in, and India is so vulnerable we need to start thinking about more than just cutting emissions, we need to start thinking about how to adapt to a warmer climate … by Author Mridula Ramesh”


“… the distinguished chief guest, your very meticulously delivered speech, your inspirational eloquence combined with the quality of your thought process added tremendous credibility and value to the event. By the Group Capt R Vijayakumar MMA”


CIC Event Mridula Ramesh
CIC Event Mridula Ramesh
CIC Event Mridula Ramesh
CIC Event Mridula Ramesh

India’s climate change crisis

15th June 2018, Madras School of Economics Auditorium – Chennai.

       Sundaram Climate Institute in association with Chennai International Centre (CIC), on a pressing topic that needs discussion and action – India's climate change crisis.


        We had 120+ distinguished delegates from various sectors, with eminent speakers Dr Rajendra Singh “The Water-Man of India”, Ms Mridula Ramesh Author “The Climate Solution” & Mr. Pradeep Chakravarthy as the Moderator.

CIC Event Mridula Ramesh
CIC Event Mridula Ramesh
CIC Event Mridula Ramesh
CIC Event Mridula Ramesh

Waste Warrior School Program

Therku theru Govt.Hr.Sec School, Therku theru, Madurai

  • Designed and implemented a curriculum on waste management for grade 5 & 6
  • 1. What is waste?
  • 2. Problems of Waste?
  • 3. Types of waste
  • 4. Causes of waste
  • 5. Littering
  • 6. Segregation
  • 6. The Conclusion
CIC Event Mridula Ramesh
CIC Event Mridula Ramesh
CIC Event Mridula Ramesh
CIC Event Mridula Ramesh

Bio Gas Plant at Temple

July 2017, Meenakshi Ammman Temple - Madurai.

  • Sundaram Climate Institute installed the bio gas plant at Meenakshi amman Temple and now 1/3rd of temple waste is used
  • 1. We mapped the temple and the waste generation points (WHERE)
  • 2. We weighed the waste at eight blocks over 2 months (HOW MUCH)
  • 3. Five blocks twice a day
  • 4. Three blocks once a day
  • 5. Over 500 readings in total
  • 6. We identified the types of waste (WHAT)
CIC Event Mridula Ramesh
CIC Event Mridula Ramesh
CIC Event Mridula Ramesh
CIC Event Mridula Ramesh

Waste Warrior School Program

Lakshmi School, Madurai

  • Designed and implemented a curriculum on waste management for grade 5 & 6
  • 1. What is waste?
  • 2. Problems of Waste?
  • 3. Types of waste
  • 4. Causes of waste
  • 5. Littering
  • 6. Segregation
  • 6. The Conclusion
CIC Event Mridula Ramesh
CIC Event Mridula Ramesh
CIC Event Mridula Ramesh
CIC Event Mridula Ramesh

Madurai has to catch up with the trend of eco-friendly clay Ganesha idols if it wants to save its water bodies

13th Sept 2018, – Madurai.

       With Ganesh Chaturthi festivities over, the ritual of immersing the idol started yesterday and will continue for three days. While clay idols made with seeds in them gained in popularity this year, Madurai is yet to catch up with the trend.

The city did make a small attempt though. Cleantech investor and founder of Sundaram Climate Institute, Mridula Ramesh, had introduced her friends and acquaintances to eco-friendly seed Ganeshas last year. When she discussed the idea, she received 200 requests and a local potter was assigned the job of making 12 inch idols with clay packed with plant seeds and fertilisers.   Read more


CIC Event Mridula Ramesh
CIC Event Mridula Ramesh
CIC Event Mridula Ramesh
CIC Event Mridula Ramesh