Department of Environment and Forests
The Department of Environment and Forests (Tamil Nadu) is a government department created in 1995 to manage the state’s environment and forests. Its headquarters are in Chennai. The department is led by Ministers M. Mathiventhan (Forests) and Siva. V. Meyyanathan (Environment); the principal secretary is Dr. P. Senthil Kumar, IAS. It is part of the Government of Tamil Nadu.
The Tamil Nadu Forest Department, the department’s main forest agency, protects and manages the state’s forests. Forests cover about 22,643 square kilometers, or 17.4% of Tamil Nadu’s geographic area. The Western Ghats in Tamil Nadu are a major biodiversity hotspot and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The state is home to about 2,000 wildlife species and more than 5,900 plant species.
Protected areas total about 3,305 square kilometers, which is 2.54% of the state’s area and about 15% of the state’s forest area. Important ecological regions include the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve, Agasthyamala Biosphere Reserve, and the Gulf of Mannar coral reefs. Tamil Nadu has five National Parks, 18 wildlife sanctuaries, five elephant sanctuaries (as per Project Elephant), five tiger reserves (as per Project Tiger), and 17 bird sanctuaries. There is one conservation reserve, two zoos recognized by the Central Zoo Authority, and five crocodile farms.
The department also manages the Government Rubber Corporation, the Tamil Nadu Forest Plantation Corporation Limited (TAFCORN), the Tamil Nadu Tea Plantation Corporation (TANTEA), and the Tamil Nadu Biodiversity Conservation And Greening Society (TNBCGS).
The Environment department runs pollution control through the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board. It formulates policies to reduce pollution in water bodies, control air and noise pollution, help with climate change adaptation, and regulate coastal areas.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 01:20 (CET).