CHENNAI: In order to conserve the biodiversity and protect ecology and environment, the Tamil Nadu government is to evolve a comprehensive State Forest Policy, Minister for Forests Dindigul C Sreenivasan told the Assembly on Tuesday.
Making an announcement in this regard at the end of the debate on the demand for grants for his department, he said, “The Centre has asked the States to formulate state forest policy in accordance with the national forest policy which was brought in 1988. Following this, we will evolve a State Forest Policy by taking into account the bio-diversity, protection of ecology and environment and economic development of the people.”
Sreenivasan said the department will introduce a project to erect beehive fencing in Coimbatore forest division at a cost of Rs 1.28 crore during the current financial year to avert man-elephant conflict which is rampant in the division with a 120-km long forest boundary where 110 villages are vulnerable to such conflicts.
He said the innovative project of beehive fencing to chase away marauding elephants is eco-friendly and a low-budget one that has proved effective in African countries.
In Krishnagiri district, wire fencing will be erected at a cost of Rs 2.62 crore. The project will be taken up from 2018-19 to 2020-21 in order to check animals from reserve forests straying into farm land.