Forest Minister Mathiventhan inaugurated the 27th State Forest Department Sports Meet in Coimbatore, announcing plans to fill over 2,000 vacancies through TNPSC and discussing wildlife conservation efforts.
Coimbatore: The 27th State Forest Department Sports Meet was inaugurated today (Sept.19) at the State Forest College grounds on Mettupalayam Road in Coimbatore.
Tamil Nadu Forest Minister Mathiventhan presided over the event, officially kicking off the sports competitions.
The ceremony was attended by notable figures including Coimbatore Corporation Deputy Mayor Vetri Selvan, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and Head of Forest Force Sudhanshu Gupta, and Environment, Climate Change and Forest Department Principal Secretary Senthil Kumar. Forest department officials and people's representatives from various districts including Chennai, Coimbatore, and Madurai also participated in the event.
During the inauguration, Minister Mathiventhan inspected the parade by forest personnel from various forest zones including Chennai, Coimbatore, and Madurai. He then handed over the Olympic torch to officials, marking the commencement of the 27th State Forest Department Sports Meet.
Speaking to reporters after the event, Minister Mathiventhan stated that individuals selected from these state-level competitions would go on to participate in the All India Forest Department Sports Meet. He announced that there are over 2,000 vacancies in the Forest Department, which will be filled through the Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission (TNPSC).
The Minister highlighted that the elephant population in Tamil Nadu is increasing, which he cited as an indicator of the Forest Department's effective functioning. He mentioned ongoing efforts to identify and study elephant corridors and to mitigate human-elephant conflicts. Mathiventhan acknowledged that wildlife-related issues exist in many areas, but assured that the department is focusing intensively on problematic zones.
Addressing local concerns, the Minister said he would discuss with the District Collector about removing the garbage dump near Marudhamalai. He also mentioned that the department is considering a pay hike for anti-poaching watchers. Mathiventhan assured that the department would investigate and take action regarding the decline in freshwater dog populations and emphasized the government's special focus on the conservation of Nilgiri tahr.