TNUSSP along with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation hosted a groundbreaking “State Workshop on Inclusive Sanitation” on 28 November 2023. With a focus on enhancing the understanding of inclusive sanitation and fostering interdepartmental collaborations, the workshop highlighted inclusive sanitation practices from Trichy and other cities in India and collected recommendations from government functionaries on the way forward for Tamil Nadu.

The Principal Secretary of the Municipal Administration and Water Supply (MAWS) Department delivered the keynote address. He stressed the importance of going beyond infrastructure and working towards the inclusion, and safety of sanitation workers and the urban poor.

The other dignitaries included the the Managing Director and Executive Director of the Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (CMWSSB), the Joint Commissioner (Works) and Regional Deputy Commissioner (North) of the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC), the Commissioner of Trichy City Corporation (TCC), Additioanl Director from the Directorate of Town Panachayats, Additional Director Rural Development fromt the Tamil Nadu Women Development Corporation, Vice President of the Sanitation Workers Welfare Board and), representatives from the BMGF, and senior officers from the DMA, DTP, GCC, CMWSSB, TAHDCO, Directorate of Social Welfare, NULM, and NGO representatives.

The Trichy City Commissioner also spoke about how the learnings from the work done in Trichy could be scaled to other ULBs through collaborations between departments, supported by IIHS. This half-day workshop was divided into informative and collaborative sessions.

The workshop played a pivotal role in supporting the convergence of existing programmes and setting the stage for a comprehensive and inclusive approach to sanitation throughout Tamil Nadu.