Madurai marks World Environment Day with green initiatives
Madurai: From plastic bag crackdowns and cloth bag distribution to student rallies, sapling runs, and awareness campaigns,
World Environment Day
was observed in Madurai on Thursday with a range of activities led by the district administration, civic authorities, and civil society groups.
Health officials from Madurai Corporation conducted plastic confiscation drives at five key traffic hubs—Periyar bus stand, Goripalayam, Teppakulam, Arapalayam, and Palanganatham—where they exchanged plastic carry-bags for reusable manjapais and seized banned plastic items from vendors. By evening, over 200 cloth bags had been distributed and 100 kg of banned plastic impounded for recycling. The civic body said similar surprise inspections would continue every weekend through June.
Special cleaning drives were also conducted at all corporation offices to promote hygiene and discourage littering.
At the Gandhi Memorial Museum, district collector M S Sangeetha flagged off a sapling distribution initiative organised in collaboration with the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB), DHAN Foundation, Madurai Green, and the school education department. Around 5,000 saplings are being distributed to students via women's self-help groups.
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Follow-up visits will be conducted to track sapling survival rates, officials said.
In a separate public engagement event, Ilam Makkal Iyakkam and Paarvai Foundation organised a 10-km 'sapling run' to promote afforestation awareness. Flagged off by Assistant Sub-Inspector Padmavathi Amma at Race Course Ground, the run passed through key city areas including Reserve Line, Iyer Bungalow, Moondru Mavadi, and Pudur.
Volunteers handed out saplings to residents along the route.
In Ramanathapuram district, the forest department announced that under the Pasumai Tamilagam initiative, over 1 lakh palm seeds have been planted this year in three coastal reserve forest zones—Valinokkam, Mariyur, and Selvanur. These palm groves are expected to act as natural barriers against sea erosion while also offering seasonal income from palm fruit and nectar.
Schools in and around Madurai also participated actively. At LKB Nagar Government Middle School, students took part in a rally chanting slogans such as "Grow Trees," "Avoid Plastics," and "Protect Nature." Those who successfully nurtured saplings given out last year were felicitated. Clean-up drives, waste segregation, and campus greening were also carried out.
At Mahatma Educational Institutions, students staged street plays, took environmental pledges, and distributed seed balls to the public. Environmentalist and Green Walk organiser Muthukrishnan led a rally and addressed students on the importance of sustainable living.
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