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On the occasion of World Environment Day 2026, Mitsubishi Electric India announced the expansion of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative focused on waterbody conservation and water security in collaboration with Earthwatch Institute India. The programme, which was launched on World Environment Day last year, has been extended into FY 2025-26, with activities centered around Pulicat Lake and surrounding coastal villages in Tamil Nadu.
To mark the occasion, the company organized a special employee volunteer programme at Pulicat Lake in Kattur Village, Chennai. Employees joined local lake stewards, Self-Help Groups (SHGs), Mangrove Club members, and fishing communities in a mangrove plantation drive. Participants also visited restoration nurseries and observed environmental monitoring technologies, including an Automatic Weather Station and Air Quality Monitor installed under the project.
The initiative aims to raise awareness about the ecological importance of mangroves, which play a vital role in protecting coastal ecosystems, supporting biodiversity, and reducing soil erosion.
Beyond mangrove conservation, the programme has empowered local women as “lake stewards” to lead climate resilience efforts within their communities. These groups are conducting plastic waste clean-up drives around the lake and coastline while also promoting awareness about pollution prevention and sustainable practices.
The project has also engaged fishing communities through environmental education programmes. Fisherfolk are being encouraged to adopt responsible practices such as retrieving abandoned fishing nets, preventing waste disposal into the lake, and safely releasing Olive Ridley turtles that become accidentally entangled in fishing nets.
As part of its technology-driven conservation approach, the initiative incorporates digital tools and scientific monitoring systems. Digital field guides have been developed to support biodiversity observation around the lake, while weather stations and air-quality monitoring devices are helping train local climate stewards to understand real-time environmental data and make science-based decisions.
Atsushi Takase, Managing Director of Mitsubishi Electric India, said, “We believe sustainable environmental action must begin with communities that are closest to nature. Pulicat is not only an ecological asset but also a lifeline for the fishing communities and coastal villages that have depended on it for generations. Over the past year, we have witnessed local women, fisherfolk, and community groups taking genuine ownership of its conservation. Strengthened by scientific tools and education, this community-led effort will help build long-term climate resilience.”
The initiative aligns with several national priorities, including India’s National Water Mission, Swachh Bharat Mission, and broader climate action goals. It also supports the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation), SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), and SDG 13 (Climate Action).
Mitsubishi Electric India stated that the project forms part of its broader CSR strategy and reflects the company’s commitment to creating “Changes for the Better” through long-term, community-based environmental conservation and climate resilience initiatives.
