To save the environment of southern India, employees of Apollo Tyres, Chennai facility, started the planting of 100,000 trees in Vilanallur village, close to Vandhavasi in the Tiruvannamalai district of southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu under the company’s Environment initiative. The employees, in association with the project partner, TIST, and the farmers planted 1000 trees. The balance trees would be planted by the project partner and farmers over the course of next few months.
Since 2014, Apollo Tyres has planted 2,50,000 trees and has encouraged the farmers to manage their land effectively by planting trees and practice food crops simultaneously. As per the agreement with TIST India, the company will monitor these trees for the next 10 years, to get over 25,000 tonnes of carbon credit.
The company believes that developing agro forestry and encouraging farmers to use their land effectively are critical for the solution of deforestation, a factor responsible for about 20% of global warming and climate change, which are two big threats to business, livelihood and survival.
Encouraged by the success of the project, in terms of survival of 250,000 trees and to further increase the tree cover, improve food crops and ground water level in the villages around Chennai, Apollo Tyres has decided to undertake the planting of additional 100,000 trees.
In addition to the planting of trees, under Biodiversity Conservation, the company is also running a Mangrove Conservation project in Kerala, in association with Wildlife Trust of India; under Watershed Management, Apollo Tyres has undertaken multiple initiatives towards restoration of ponds near its manufacturing facilities in India.
