Minister for Environment, Climate Change, Siva V. Meyyanathan on Sunday said that the government was planning to use satellite technology to monitor saplings planted to increase forest cover.
Speaking at the World Environment Day celebrations organised by the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board here, he said forest fires would be monitored and bought under control using such technology. “We will know if any trees are cut in any forest,” he said.
Mr. Meyyanathan, earlier took part in a campaign, organised by Pollucare, to popularise use of manjapai, reusable cloth bags, in Besant Nagar along with Health Minister Ma. Subramanian.
He launched the posting of ambient air quality data on near real time basis on the Facebook page of the TNPCB. The AQI at 4 p.m. every day based on the past 24 hours average values would be displayed on the page by 9 p.m. daily. The data is to be collected from the Continuous Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Stations installed by TNPCB in 34 locations across the State. The Facebook page can be accessed from tnpcb.gov.in.
Bicycle rallies, tree plantation drives and talks marked the observance of Environment Day in the city on Sunday.
New system at zoo
To encourage visitors to not dispose plastic water bottles inside the Arignar Anna Zoological Park, the zoo has introduced a new system of taking a refundable ₹10 deposit for each bottle carried inside. Once the bottle is returned, the money would be returned. A system of pasting stickers on bottles was introduced by the zoo.
Apart from this, a mass tree-planting event involving all zoo employees was taken up. In yet another sustainable management practice, the park introduced fish culture in the existing deep water troughs so as to ensure in-house cultivation to meet the day-to-day fish requirements of the water birds and crocodiles inside the park as a supplementary measure.
The Southern Regional Office of the Union Ministry of Tourism organised a birding and cycling experiential tour as part of World Environment Day at Pallikaranai Marsh Eco Park. Around 15 persons with disabilities participated in the rally, which was supported by Prakruthi, Kotinos Sports, SPARK, ride, Disability Rights Alliance, Bay of Life and Guru Nanak College, Chennai.
The Ecoclub of the Government Stanley Medical College observed the day with a series of activities and contests for its students, including planting of saplings on hospital premises by doctors, in addition to the cleanliness drive.
Bicycle rally
Over 150 enthusiasts from the city participated in a bicycle rally organised by TI Cycles of India, part of Murugappa Group’s Tube Investment of India (TII), cycling through Rajakilpakkam, Rajiv Gandhi Salai and East Coast Road. The 50-km rally was flagged off by Arun Murugappan, Executive Chairman, TII, who extended TI Cycles’ support to Isha Foundation’s Save the Soil campaign.
Indian Oil Corporation marked the day with a talk by ecologist Sultan Ahmed Ismail on the topic “For earth’s sake”.
