THOOTHUKUDI: Officials from the Agathiyamalai Community Conservation Centre (ATREE), Manimutharu, organised 'Brushing for Biodiversity: A Wildlife Wall' painting programme in association with the forest department, Rotary Club of Tuticorin Trailblazers, Tamil Nadu Sports Development Authority (SDAT) and Pearl City Nature Trust at the district sports complex.
Over 50 students of Alagar Public School, Sakthi Vinayagar Hindu Vidyalayam, SAV higher secondary school and Kiddies World participated took part in the event, held to mark International Day of Forests, by painting pictures of animals found in the Vallanadu Blackbuck Sanctuary. Painting artists Karthika, Rahini, Thanigaivel, Gunasekaran and Aaron Martin guided the students.
Thoothukudi corporation commissioner C Dinesh Kumar and district forest officer Abhishek Tomar inaugurated the event in the presence of District Sports Officer Antony Athistaraj, Pearl City Nature Trust founder and president Rajan, RC and president of Tuticorin Trailblazers Malarvizhi, and former assistant governor of the rotary M Balamurugan.
Appreciating the initiative, the commissioner said the corporation plans to paint murals of wildlife and marine life across the city, emphasising the protection of forest and sea. ATREE Coordinator M Mathivanan said," Forests are essential for a healthy environment, livelihoods, nutrition and wildlife. Deforestation for hundreds of years has threatened forests. It is up to us to protect these precious natural resources."