Volunteers clearing plastic waste along rail line at Solakarai forest in Madukkarai range on Friday.

| Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRAGEMENT

Afforestation drives and various other activities were held across Coimbatore district on Friday on the occasion of the World Environment Day.District Forest Officer N. Vengatesh Prabhu spoke at an event held at Karpagam College of Engineering and planted a sapling on the campus. Students from the college and Forest Department staff later removed plastic waste littered along the rail line passing through Solakkarai beat of Madukkarai forest range. Forest Department staff and a team from Le Meridien, Coimbatore, planted saplings in Ettimadai beat of the range.In Coimbatore forest range, saplings of native trees were planted on the sides of Narasampathi tank. Field staff, volunteers of the Velliangiri Malai Pathukappu Amaippu and the Coimbatore Wildlife Conservation Trust educated devotees visiting Marudhamalai Subramaniaswamy temple on the dangers of single-use plastic products. Plastic waste were collected from the sides of stairs to the temple.In Periyanaickenpalayam forest range, saplings were planted on the premises of KLRF Group’s Eltex Super Castings factory. Awareness regarding climate change was created among employees. Staff of the Karamadai forest range organised an awareness rally at Velliangadu, in collaboration with the students of the United Institute of Technology. They removed plastic waste from Baralikadu ecotourism centre and surrounding reserve forest areas. Saplings were planted on the premises of Tamil Nadu Water Supply and Drainage (TWAD) Board’s Velliangadu plant.In Mettupalayam forest range, saplings were planted on the premises of more than 10 educational institutions.In another drive, saplings were planted on the premises of Encee Aromatics Pvt Ltd at Chikkadasampalayam village Sirumugai forest range.Social forestry ranges of Thondamuthur and the Periyanaickenpalayam organised an afforestation drive along with Lexis Tooling Systems Pvt. Ltd. The Mettupalayam social forestry range organised a similar drive in collaboration with ITC Limited’s Paperboards and Specialty Papers Division at Thekkampatti. Published - June 05, 2026 08:45 pm IST