Minister for Environment and Climate Change Thangam Thennarasu handing over the appointment order to a new recruit of the Forest Department at a function in Chennai on Tuesday. Looking on are (from left) M. Jayanthi, Chairperson, Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board; Supriya Sahu, Additional Chief Secretary, Departments of Environment, Climate Change and Forests; and Minister for Forests R.S. Rajakannappan.
| Photo Credit: S.R. Raghunathan
The State government on Tuesday launched the Tamil Nadu Marine Resources Foundation (TNMRF) to protect and restore marine biodiversity by safeguarding endangered species, rehabilitating ecosystems such as coral reefs, mangroves, and seagrass, and expanding the protected areas.
Launched by Minister for Environment and Climate Change Thangam Thennarasu and Minister for Forests R.S. Rajakannappan, along with Supriya Sahu, Additional Chief Secretary, Departments of Environment, Climate Change and Forests, and Srinivas R. Reddy, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Head of Forest Force), the TNMRF will support sustainable livelihood by training fisherfolk in eco-friendly practices and promoting such alternatives as aquaculture, seaweed farming, and coastal crafts.
The Foundation will facilitate eco-tourism, environmental education and awareness-building, cutting-edge research in marine geographic information systems, and biodiversity-mapping. Its mission is to protect, restore and sustainably manage Tamil Nadu’s marine and coastal ecosystems while strengthening climate resilience and the livelihood of the coastal communities.
At the event, the Ministers gave away appointment orders to 333 forest personnel selected through the Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission.
The Environment Minister also launched the Manali Ennore Restoration and Rejuvenation Council (MERRC), a special purpose vehicle, to restore the environmentally sensitive Manali-Ennore region. Established after a major oil spill in December 2023, MERRC will focus on green projects, waterbody restoration, solid waste management, pollution control, and community infrastructure development, in coordination with multiple departments.
A new state-of-the-art office has been established at Tondiarpet. It houses the District Environmental Engineer’s office, two flying squad offices, and a modern emergency response centre equipped to respond swiftly to floods, cyclones, and industrial accidents in the Ennore-Manali region.
The Manjappai Awards 2025 were given away by the Ministers to three schools and three colleges that successfully created single-use plastic-free campuses and promoted traditional eco-friendly alternatives.
In the school category, the awards were presented to Government Higher Secondary School, Belarahalli, Dharmapuri district (the first place), Government High School, Siruvalur, Ariyalur district (the second place), and Government Boys Higher Secondary School, Perundurai, Erode district (the third place). In the college category, the recipients were Jamal Mohamed College, Tiruchi (the first place), JKK Muniraja College of Technology, T.N. Palayam, Erode district (the second place), and Holy Cross College, Tiruchi (the third place). The award comprises a cash prize of ₹10 lakh for the first place, ₹5 lakh for the second place, and ₹3 lakh for the third place.
M. Jayanthi, Chairperson, Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board, and A. R. Rahul Nadh, Director, Department of Environment and Climate Change, were present, along with senior officials of the Forest Department.
Published – September 09, 2025 07:32 pm IST
