CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu Finance, Environment and Climate Change Minister Thangam Thennarasu submitted a Rs 74.4 crore proposal to Union Minister for Environment, Forest, and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav in New Delhi, to facilitate the relocation of Thengumarahada villagers from the buffer zone of the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve in the Nilgiris.
Seeking clearances and funding for several state projects, Thennarasu, along with Tamil Nadu Environment, Climate Change and Forests Secretary Supriya Sahu and other officials, urged the centre to expedite the project’s approval, citing its importance for tiger conservation and the frequent human-wildlife conflicts that pose a threat to local residents.
The state submitted the proposal to the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA) under the Union Environment Ministry. Likewise, a proposal to create a green shield for enhancing coastal and forest ecosystems in Thoothukudi was submitted to the ministry under the National Action Plan on Climate Change and Green India Mission, at a cost of Rs 27.53 crore.
Thennarasu also thanked the union government for accepting Tamil Nadu’s request to exempt industrial sheds up to 1,50,000 square metres from environmental clearance, a move aimed at accelerating industrial development in the state.
Additionally, the state minister sought swift clearance for Tamil Nadu’s proposal to reconstitute the State Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA) and the State Expert Appraisal Committee (SEAC), as their current tenure ends in April 2025.
Given the growing number of infrastructure projects, the state has also already proposed establishing an additional SEAC to facilitate faster approvals. The union minister assured to provide speedy clearance to the state’s proposal, a press release said.