Thoothukudi's green initiatives; Man-made forest, park revivals and global partnerships
A significant effort in this initiative includes the development of man-made forest at the Tharuvaikulam dumping yard for the past six years.
The corporation owns around 578 acres along the Tharuvaikulam road, which has been utilized for waste dumping, since the time the city was classified under Municipality limits. Other than the mountain's bio and non-biodegradable wastes at the site ,the remaining area was overgrown with Prosopis juliflora and thick bushes. At this juncture, to reclaim and transform this space, the corporation has begun clearing the invasive vegetation and is working to establish a man made forest in the region.
This initiative began in 2019, with two acres of land chosen for the pilot project. Through bio mining, the dumped waste was removed and the land was prepared for planting trees. Initially 2,000 tree saplings were planted in the area on a trial basis. Although the project faced a setback in 2021 due to shortage of water, the Corporation revived the nearby sewage treatment and used the treated water to support the plants.
By 2024, the corporation has planted around 1.5 lakh trees in various phases, including occasions such as Chief Minister's birthday and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) contributions.
Currently two private firms have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Thoothukudi corporation, one firm has committed to planting trees across 100 acres, while other will cover 25 acres of land.
Tree species such as neem, Manila tamarind (Kodukkapuli), pungan, guava and others were planted at the site.
In addition, the corporation has also partnered with the UK government for the project 'PACT-Digi-PULSE' advancing Carbon-Neutral Transitions using Digital-Twin Based planning for URban Living and Sustainable Environment. The project led by IIT-Madras with consortium partners will focus on reducing greenhouse gas emission, enhancing climate resilience and creating a replicable model for sustainable urban planning and mobility.
Another major green initiative of the Thoothukudi corporation includes the restoration of city parks. Of the total 206 park sites, only 57 are currently in public use. The corporation is working on developing mini forest in the park spaces, particularly focusing on wards 16,17 and 18.
Speaking about the initiatives, Thoothukudi Corporation Mayor Jegan Periyasamy stated that the city's green projects will bring long term environmental benefits as we are focusing on the plants producing high levels of oxygen. He emphasised the significance of 'PACT-Digi-PULSE' project and noted that an expert team had recently arrived in the city for assessment, a step that would support better urban planning in future.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
13 minutes ago
- Time of India
Tata Group to focus on chips, digital platforms, EVs: Chandrasekaran
Tata Sons Chairman, N Chandrasekaran, has said that the company's main goal is to scale up its manufacturing excellence in semiconductors , electric vehicles , digital platforms and financial services. In the company's 2025 annual report, he said that Tata Electronics, which makes an annual revenue of ₹66,000 crore, is focusing on building a vertically integrated ecosystem for technology hardware and semiconductor manufacturing. The group has begun its semiconductor journey with the 28nm node and plans to build on that foundation toward advanced chipmaking. "Together with TCS, startups, and other ecosystem players, we will do whatever it takes to make India ready for the GenAI era. We will build the data centres and skill our employees in new AI tools, forge industry-best partnerships and deliver solutions through human+AI models to transform businesses," Chandrasekaran wrote. Tata Son's financial services arm Tata Capital is set to launch its initial public offering in the next six to eight weeks. In the electric vehicle space, Agratas is developing 60 GWh of battery capacity with facilities in India and the UK, supported by research and development centres in Bengaluru and Oxford , Chandrasekaran informed. In batteries and renewable power, our capacity creation must come with steady and guaranteed offtake, which is the foundation of good financial returns, he added. On the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) front, he said, the new priorities include reducing waste sent to landfills, creating biodiversity plans, and replenishing the fresh water we use. "I am proud to share with you that Tata Electronics is well on the road – it already employs over 65,000 workforce (of which approximately 70 per cent are women) and has an annual revenue of Rs 66,000 crore. In the capital-intensive world of technology hardware," he further said. Tata Power has quadrupled its renewable energy capacity over the last eight years. The subsidiary now leads India in rooftop solar and electric vehicle charging infrastructure, with 6,700 charging stations nationwide. During the last five years, the Tata Group's aggregate revenues rose by 1.9 times, aggregate net profits rose by 3.6 times, and the leverage ratio halved to 0.7 times.
India Today
an hour ago
- India Today
IIT Guwahati creates bamboo-based material to replace plastic in vehicles
Researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Guwahati have created a high-performance composite material using local bamboo and biodegradable innovation addresses the need for sustainable alternatives to plastic, especially in the automotive new material, made from Bambusa tulda -- a fast-growing bamboo species native to Northeast India -- shows excellent strength, thermal stability, low water absorption, and It offers a green solution for manufacturing vehicle dashboards, seat backs, and door FOR PERFORMANCE AND SUSTAINABILITYLed by Dr Poonam Kumari from the Department of Mechanical Engineering, the research explored four composite formulations by reinforcing bamboo fibres with petroleum-based and bio-based treatment of the fibres improved compatibility and durability, and the materials were tested across 17 performance team applied Multi-Criteria Decision-Making (MCDM) methods to assess all samples. The top-performing variant combined bamboo fibres with a bio-based epoxy called composite offered the best balance of mechanical strength, thermal resistance, and minimal moisture ALTERNATIVE FOR MULTIPLE INDUSTRIESPriced at Rs 4300 per kilogram, the bamboo composite provides a viable, sustainable alternative to traditional materials used in industries such as furniture, electronics, packaging and, most notably, automotive manufacturing.'Developed composite can be used for designing components/parts in consumer electronics, automobiles, aerospace, sustainable building materials etc. The product will replace wood/iron/plastic components and will have similar cost and lead to fulfil SGD goals (7,8 and 9). This development is in line with Make in India policy under Green Tech Revolution,' said Dr bamboo-based composite developed by IIT Guwahati represents a significant leap towards sustainable material tapping into locally available resources and aligning with global sustainability goals, the institute is paving the way for environmentally responsible alternatives in STEPS FOR INDUSTRIAL SCALE-UPThe team is currently conducting a life cycle assessment to evaluate the environmental impact of the product from production to are also in place to adopt industrial techniques like compression modelling and resin transfer to enable mass further research and industrial collaboration, such innovations could soon become mainstream, reducing dependence on plastic and promoting a greener future for India and beyond.- Ends
News18
an hour ago
- News18
Karnataka cabinet approves space tech centre, key health projects
Bengaluru, July 24 (PTI) Karnataka Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister H K Patil on Thursday announced that the state cabinet has approved several key initiatives, including the setting up of a Centre of Excellence (CoE) in space technology and the launch of the Local Economy Accelerator Programme (LEAP). The proposed SpaceTech CoE will be established as a Section 8 company under the Companies Act, 2013, with a total allocation of Rs 10 crore over five years. 'The Satellite Communication Industry Association (SIA-India) has been selected as the industry partner. The project has been granted exemption under Section 4(g) of the Karnataka Transparency in Public Procurements Act, 1999," the Minister briefed reporters after the cabinet meeting. The initiative aims to address the shortage of testing infrastructure in the space sector, as facilities operated by ISRO, DRDO, and other government agencies are currently at capacity and focused on their own missions. With around 30 working prototypes emerging from the state's startup ecosystem each month, the demand for independent testing is growing, he noted. The cabinet also approved the launch of the Local Economy Accelerator Programme (LEAP) with a total budget allocation of Rs 1,000 crore over five years. In the first year, Rs 200 crore will be allocated for implementation. The cabinet also approved amendments to the Karnataka Global Capability Centre (GCC) Policy 2024-29 to improve clarity and consistency in the policy language and structure without altering its core provisions or objectives, he added. Approval was given for establishment of a Kidwai Peripheral Cancer Treatment Unit at an estimated cost of Rs 50 crore comprising Rs 20 crore for civil works and Rs 30 crore for equipment purchase within the premises of Rajiv Gandhi Super Speciality Hospital in Raichur. An additional Rs 62 crore was sanctioned for procuring medical equipment, furniture, and other apparatus for setting up a 450-bed hospital at the Indira Gandhi Institute of Child Health in Bengaluru. A notification has been issued appointing the Revenue Minister as the chairperson of the seven boards and authorities. It has been now been decided to amend the Acts of the respective Boards/Authorities, the Minister said. The proposed amendment bills pertain to Kudalasangama Development Authority, Kaginele Development Authority, Basavakalyan Development Board, Banavasi Development Authority, Sarvajna Development Authority, Kittur Development Authority and Nadaprabhu Kempegowda Heritage Area Development Authority. Seeking to regulate private ambulance service providers and register mobile medical units as private medical establishments, and mandate permanent registration within 30 days, Karnataka Private Medical Establishments (Amendment) Bill, 2025, has also been proposed. The cabinet has given its nod to impose one per cent fire cess along with the property tax on newly constructed multi-storeyed buildings in the state to improve the efficiency of the fire department. PTI GMS GMS ROH view comments First Published: July 24, 2025, 18:15 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
