The Centre on Tuesday agreed to provide Rs 32 crore to the State for undertaking measures to prevent elephant deaths due to electrocution, the work of which would be executed by the Energy Department.
The issue was discussed at a meeting between Union Environment Minister Jayanti Natarajan and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik in Delhi.
According to a release by the Chief Minister’s office (CMO), Natarajan said she had also approved the State Government’s proposal to establish a ‘national wetland and coastal ecosystem research and training centre’ in Bhubaneswar, currently pending with the Planning Commission for concurrence. Once the Planning Commission gives its clearance, the Ministry will take prompt action for establishing the centre, she told Naveen.
Natarajan also agreed to approve the annual plan of operation for 2012-13 related to protection and management of degraded forests and regenerate forests through Van Surakhya Samitis after receiving data of the work undertaken during the last three annual plans.
She, however, said instead of a separate proposal in the form of additional plan of operations for five years, the State should include a specific component for strengthening Van Surakhya Samitis in the annual plan of operations which will be approved by her Ministry on an annual basis. Naveen had been requested to approve the additional plan for five years and sanction the required funds on a yearly basis.