Sapling plantation drives undertaken across Coimbatore district to aid environmental restoration
As part of efforts to improve green cover and restore ecological balance, large-scale sapling plantation initiatives were undertaken across Coimbatore district.
The Coimbatore District Crusher and Quarry Association, in association with the Department of Mining, planted over 3,000 saplings, including native varieties such as mango, neem, Arasu, Vakai and Pungan in the Chettipalayam locality, marking the occasion of World Environment Day. An additional 2,000 saplings were planted in Mettupalayam, taking the total to 5,000 saplings across the district.
Additional Collector, Coimbatore District Rural Development Agency, Sanket Balwant Waghe, Deputy Director of Geology and Mining G. Panneerselvam, state president of the Crusher and Quarry Association K. Chinnaswamy, and district president KCP Chandra Prakash were among those present at the event.
The Cauvery Calling movement, led by the Isha Foundation, facilitated the planting of 1.36 crore saplings across 34,000 acres in the Cauvery River basin during the year 2024-25. With this, the total number of saplings planted since the movement's inception reached 12.2 crore. Saplings including teak, red sandalwood, and mahogany are distributed at subsidised rates as a part of this initiative.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hindustan Times
9 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
The hidden cost of menstrual waste
In a world shaped by convenience, plastic has become both a ubiquitous burden and a looming peril. Each year, humanity produces over 430 million tonnes of plastic, much of it crafted for fleeting use, only to persist in landfills, rivers, and oceans for centuries. India, responsible for nearly 20% of the world's plastic waste, stands at a critical juncture. As plastic pollution escalates, its ripple effects extend far beyond immediate surroundings, endangering wildlife, degrading ecosystems, threatening public health, and pushing our already strained planet closer to ecological tipping points. Between 19 to 23 million tonnes of plastic enter aquatic ecosystems annually. This is not merely pollution; it is a slow unraveling of nature's delicate balance. The theme of Ending Plastic Pollution for World Environment Day 2025 rings out as a powerful call to action. It urges us to protect our Earth from the tightening grip of plastic waste and sparks a global movement fueled by unity, purpose, and commitment. This theme also opens a window into an often-overlooked intersection: the link between environmental care and menstrual hygiene. Making menstrual health greener is not only an environmental imperative—it is a stride toward gender equity and public health. Consider this: The annual use of disposable pads and tampons generates around 9 kgs of CO₂ emissions per person. Over an average menstrual lifespan of 40 years, one woman's sanitary choices could add up to 360 kgs of carbon emissions. Now multiply that by India's approximately 36 crore (360 million) menstruating women—the environmental cost becomes staggering. A large share of this impact stems from products that contain plastic and are not biodegradable. On this World Environment Day, let us commit to making menstrual hygiene products as clean and green as possible—empowering women while healing the planet. Menstrual cups offer hygienic, convenient comfort and reduce public health risks. Their value becomes especially evident during crises like floods or natural disasters, when the safe disposal of pads poses a serious challenge. Together, let us break the cycle of plastic dependence and build a healthier, more sustainable future for our women, for our communities, and the Earth. This article is authored by V Kuttappan Pillai, senior vice president, HLL Lifecare Limited.
New Indian Express
12 hours ago
- New Indian Express
Tree felling at TN's Srirangam aided school sparks outcry amid Environment day observance
Chief Educational Officer K Krishnapriya responded, 'For aided schools, the school secretary or correspondent is responsible. We provide aid and ensure quality education.' Her remarks have raised questions about the department's monitoring and accountability mechanisms, as local officials had failed to notice the removal of the trees. Defending the decision, headmistress S. Shanthi said the trees posed safety risks: 'Some trees were large and leaning towards the compound wall of a nearby apartment. We feared they might fall during strong winds. With the management's approval, we removed them. As part of World Environment Day, students planted new saplings in the same area.' A member of the school management added that the decision was not premeditated: 'It wasn't intentional. The trees hadn't been properly maintained. It was a lapse on our part. We've now planted saplings and plan to take better care of them.' However, environmentalists argue that the damage is already done and worry about the message being sent to children. 'You cannot preach conservation while axing trees in your own backyard,' said S.N. Mohan Ram of the Srirangam People's Welfare Association.
Hindustan Times
13 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Breach Candy residents gear up to revive the Coastal Road-destroyed Tata Garden
MUMBAI: The Tata Garden at Breach Candy was once a long stretch of garden over 8,000 square metres bordering the Arabian Sea, lush, green and perfect for morning walks. Hacked by the Coastal Road interchange, and with the sea snatched away, today it is half its original size in three fractured pieces. But residents of Breach Candy, who have set their sights on restoring it, are not deterred. As the boundary fence of Tata Garden nears completion, marking a clear distinction between the neighbourhood garden and the Coastal Road's reclaimed space looming ahead, the Breach Candy Residents Forum (BCRF) is gearing up to jumpstart the garden's revival. As an initial step, on World Environment Day last Thursday, members planted 50 large coconut tree saplings in the enclosure. 'Despite the tree plantation drive being at 7.30 am, many residents showed up and got their hands dirty in planting,' said Nigum Lakhani, a BCRF member. 'We've requested them to keep coming back and make it a point to see that the trees survive.' Lakhani remembers the garden as idyllic. 'When Tata Power adopted it a few decades ago, the land had nothing,' he said. 'They whipped it into shape, and were doing a great job of maintaining it. There was a circular walking track amid the trees and lawns, where quite a few Bollywood songs were shot.' Rupen Doshi, another resident at the tree plantation, remembered the mud walking path, flanked by trees on one side and manicured lawns on the other. 'The sea would splash against the rocks at high tide,' he said. 'There were the loyal morning and evening walkers. In the evenings, mothers would bring their young children to the play area, which had a makeshift tree house. It was a popular place.' The garden now lies cleaved into three parts. The centre portion, which is the largest, is around 3,300 square metres, while the two smaller portions at either end are 510 square metres and 200 square metres. Doshi decried the poor condition the garden was in currently, with only a few stray shrubs and tree stumps. 'Portions of it have been overrun by debris and construction material,' he said. Lakhani described the two smaller side gardens as being in worse condition, with the old fences dumped there, wild trees growing haphazardly and children's play equipment rusted and broken. In 2018, work on the Coastal Road claimed the garden, taking it away from the sponsorship of Tata Power for the interchange. Despite efforts to change the layout and protect the trees with a PIL, the road went through. According to the answer received to an RTI query, this left the garden with only 177 of the 316 trees it had originally. 'Now that the work on the Coastal Road is done, the BCRF is on the hunt for sponsors to restore the former glory of the garden and maintain it,' said Nandini Chabria, a core BRCF member. Lakhani too said he had approached the Tata Group again, requesting it to adopt the garden once more. An official from the D ward garden department said the BMC would be happy if the residents were able to get a sponsor for the garden. 'We can hand it over under our 11-month caretaker policy,' he said. 'The garden requires ₹2 crore to 3 crore to be spruced up, which we don't have. There is a gardener who tends to the central garden, but that's about all. Most of the fencing work around the garden is done, so it's the perfect time for someone to swoop in with funds.'
