CHENNAI: Reaffirming the State government’s resolve to protect the Pallikaranai marshland, Forest minister Dindigul C Sreenivasan informed the Assembly on Tuesday that eco-restoration activities in the marshland would continue for four years.
Conservation Authority of Pallikaranai Marshland has been constituted to monitor all the activities and an area of 690.65 hectare is under the control of the forest department, according to the policy note for 2018-19 tabled in the House.
“Restoration activities like habitat improvement, protection, research, monitoring, publicity and awareness have been undertaken. The activities will continue from 2018-19 to 2022-23 at a cost of `165.68 crore under the national adaptation fund for climate change,” it said.
It may be recalled there was a huge outcry over encroachment and dumping of waste in the ‘unique fresh water swamp’ located within the Chennai Metropolitan area.
As per the policy note, the total wetland area in Tamil Nadu is about 9,02,524 hectares comprising 6.92 per cent of the geographical area of the State. As many as 15 wetlands were notified as wildlife sanctuaries under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.
A scheme for wetland conservation and development was implemented during 2017-18 with an outlay of `2.30 crore and it would continue during the current year with funds to the tune of `3.11 crore.