Saving pollinators, pest-control birds key for sustainability, says Rajaa

CHENNAI: Industries Minister TRB Rajaa on Monday launched the first international conference, 'Tamil Nadu Land Use 2025: Research and Innovation for a Sustainable Future,' at the IIT Madras Research Park, marking 15 years since the formation of the Tamil Nadu State Land Use Research Board (TNSLURB) under the State Planning Commission.

The two-day event aims to strengthen evidence-based planning and foster collaboration between researchers, policymakers and planners on sustainable land and resource management.

TRB Rajaa also released two publications: Land Use Research in Tamil Nadu: 15 Years of TNSLURB, highlighting the board’s work over the years, and Vaduvoor: A Landscape of Wings, a coffee-table book based on a study by the Salim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History, supported by TNSLURB.

Speaking at the inaugural event, the minister stressed the need for research on lesser-known species, such as pollinators, pest-control birds, and wild hares, saying the vanishing ecosystem demanded a stronger scientific focus. He stated that Tamil Nadu’s governance model is increasingly informed by science and expressed the state’s ambition to emerge as a hub for research and development. He also referred to the State’s pioneering land use legacy, from the creation of the State Land Use Board in 1975 to the establishment of TNSLURB in 2011, and stated that the conference aligns with the global Sustainable Development Goals.

In his address, J Jeyaranjan, executive vice-chairman of the State Planning Commission, stated that Tamil Nadu and Kerala are the only states with dedicated boards for land use research, which play a crucial role in shaping policy through data and studies. He cited the example of the State’s decision in 2024 to officially recognise heatwaves as a state-specific disaster, based on a mitigation strategy developed by TNSLURB.