COIMBATORE: The state government's flagship Project Nilgiri Tahr, launched to conserve the state animal, has gathered momentum with the foundation-laying ceremony for the Nilgiri Tahr Conservation Centre, near Semmozhi Park at Gandhipuram in Coimbatore on Wednesday.
Chief Minister MK Stalin laid the foundation stone via videoconference from Chennai. Collector Pavankumar G Giriyappanavar, MP P Ganapathy Rajkumar, Mayor K Ranganayaki, and Conservator of Forests D Venkatesh participated in the pooja conducted as part of the ceremony. The centre will be established on 50 cents of land and is envisioned as a bridge between conservation efforts and the public. It will function as a hub for research, monitoring, documentation and evidence-based conservation planning for the endangered Nilgiri Tahr.
The four-storey building is expected to be completed within seven months. The ground floor will house a ticket counter and a children's play area. The first floor will feature a Flora and Fauna Gallery and a Tahr Theatre. The second floor will include a Biodiversity Gallery and a Diorama Gallery, while the third floor will showcase a Tribal and Species Gallery.
K Ganesh Ram, Assistant Director of Project Nilgiri Tahr, said that by incorporating cutting-edge technology, interactive exhibits and scientific content, the centre aims to transform complex conservation initiatives into accessible knowledge for students and the general public.
It may be recalled that Project Nilgiri Tahr was launched by the chief minister on October 12, 2023, with an outlay of Rs 25.14 crore. The establishment of the conservation centre is one of the nine key components of the project, which also includes an annual synchronised survey and grassland restoration initiatives. So far, more than 120 awareness programmes titled 'Message on Wheels' have been conducted across the Nilgiri Tahr's distribution ranges in Tirunelveli, Tenkasi, Virudhunagar, Theni, Coimbatore and Tiruppur districts.