The record
Written from the 2 reports below. Nothing here is unsourced.
- Industry experts convened at The Hindu Sustainability Summit 2026 to discuss strategies for water conservation and wastewater management, a forum with clear relevance for companies in Tamil Nadu, the summit's home region.
- Coverage so far comes only from The Hindu in a neutral tone, so there are no competing accounts to reconcile.
- The second strand of the story is corporate: Chennai Petroleum Corporation Limited (CPCL) is shifting its business model toward renewable energy and petrochemicals, a move enabled by the greater decision-making authority that comes with its 'Navratna' status.
- Together the two articles sketch a broader theme of Indian industry, and state-owned energy firms in particular, repositioning around sustainability.
- What is not yet known is whether the summit produced concrete commitments, funding, or policy recommendations.
- What to watch next is follow-through: published summit outcomes, CPCL project and capex announcements, and how the company uses its new autonomy.
What to watch next
- Whether summit sessions yield concrete commitments or funded water projects
- CPCL announcements on renewable and petrochemical investments
- How CPCL exercises its new Navratna decision-making authority
- Other Tamil Nadu firms adopting wastewater management practices
What changed2
Every report on this story, newest first. Times are when each outlet published.
Who said what7
Only words found exactly in the article are shown, attributed and linked to the line they came from.
H. Shankar
3 quotes · 1 outlet
“CBG (compressed bio-gas) is fuel that can be a good form of energy we can invest in. With SAF (sustainable aviation fuel), we can be a part of sustainability in aviation fuel”
In the article
…The Managing Director of the Chennai Petroleum Corporation Limited (CPCL) H. Shankar on Wednesday (September 23, 2026) said the company was looking at how it could be a part of the growth journey in renewable energy. “ CBG (compressed bio-gas) is fuel that can be a good form of energy we can invest in. With SAF (sustainable aviation fuel), we can be a part of sustainability in aviation fuel ,” Mr. Shankar said at a fireside chat during the CPCL-The Hindu Sustainability Summit 2026 with The Hindu’s senior deputy editor N. Ravikumar. This past August has been a very important milestone in the automobile…
“We will change our refining from a fuel-based one to a petrochemical-based one, according to the needs of our customers”
In the article
…a matter of time before it (renewable energy) really changes the larger means of transportation also. Refineries will continue to thrive despite the shift in automobiles from fossil-based fuels to renewable energy. We will change our refining from a fuel-based one to a petrochemical-based one, according to the needs of our customers ,” Mr. Shankar said. Speaking of CPCL’s refinery at Manali, Mr. Shankar said the company was building its own infrastructure requirements for importing green power directly, and had started using green energy in its…
Kannan
1 quote · 1 outlet
“We have optimised our water requirements and taken several measures to reduce consumption. For reuse, the water is diverted to our processing units, and wherever possible, we have maximised our reuse capability. As part of our recycling efforts, we are also producing 480 tonnes of steam”
In the article
…resources at The Hindu Sustainability Summit 2026 on Wednesday (September 23, 2026). The discussion on ‘Reimagining Water Management for a Circular Future’ was moderated by K. Lakshmi, Deputy Editor, The Hindu. “ We have optimised our water requirements and taken several measures to reduce consumption. For reuse, the water is diverted to our processing units, and wherever possible, we have maximised our reuse capability. As part of our recycling efforts, we are also producing 480 tonnes of steam ,” Mr. Kannan said. Replacing fresh water with treated water Indian Oil Corporation Limited is another oil major that is changing the way it operates. “We operate nine refineries. Geographically, there are certain…
Mukesh Mohan
Executive director at Indian Oil Corporation Limited
1 quote · 1 outlet
“We are looking at replacing fresh water used in our process units with treated water from sewage treatment plants (STPs) in the city.”
In the article
…that are located inland face challenges in reducing their water footprint. We have been recycling almost 90% to 91% of our wastewater, but we are not stopping there,” said IOCL executive director Mukesh Mohan. “ We are looking at replacing fresh water used in our process units with treated water from sewage treatment plants (STPs) in the city. In big cities such as Vadodara and Guwahati, and at refineries in Mathura and Panipat, we have clear, concrete plans to partly replace our fresh water intake with STP treated water,” Mr. Mohan added. For this, he…
Rajiv Mittal
Chairman and managing director of VA TECH WABAG Limited
1 quote · 1 outlet
“If you give wastewater the tag of an economic resource, people will treat it differently. You don’t throw your money onto the streets, so you will not throw wastewater onto the streets or into the nalas. You will collect it, treat it and generate wealth from it.”
In the article
…And we should have the responsibility to conserve water,” he added. Mr. Mittal said untreated water should not be allowed to flow out. “The only way to make this possible is to treat wastewater as an economic resource. If you give wastewater the tag of an economic resource, people will treat it differently. You don’t throw your money onto the streets, so you will not throw wastewater onto the streets or into the nalas. You will collect it, treat it and generate wealth from it. ” he explained. Monitoring groundwater Rajesh Nair, a professor in the Department of Ocean Engineering at the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras, highlighted how they are deriving geothermal energy from the…
Rajesh Nair
Professor
1 quote · 1 outlet
“We should use Internet of Things (IoT) and AI-based solutions and integrate them under a common platform or a single body that can provide clear directions on what water should be used for what purpose, how much water needs to be recharged into the groundwater system, and so on.”
In the article
…conditions are changing over time, adding that greater attention needs to be given to conserving wetlands. “We need data integration and digital data analysis. Only when we have data can we manage things effectively. We should use Internet of Things (IoT) and AI-based solutions and integrate them under a common platform or a single body that can provide clear directions on what water should be used for what purpose, how much water needs to be recharged into the groundwater system, and so on. That way, we can manage our water resources much more effectively,” Mr. Nair said. Published - September 23, 2026 11:02 pm IST…
Why it matters4
Who is affected first and what likely follows, with a direction and a horizon. Extracted from the reports, never invented.
- Chennai Petroleum Corporation Limited navratna decision autonomy· immediate
- Chennai Petroleum Corporation Limited business model transition· longer
- Industry participants at The Hindu Sustainability Summit 2026 conservation strategies shared· days
- Tamil Nadu industrial water users wastewater management adoption· weeks
Coverage1
All filed from IndiaSingle origin
Named India · Chennai Petroleum Corporation Limited · Government of India · H Shankar · Indian Institute of Technology Madras · Indian Oil Corporation Limited · Kannan · Lakshmi · Mukesh Mohan · N. Ravikumar · Rajesh Nair · Rajiv Mittal · VA TECH WABAG Limited
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