CHENNAI: Minister for Forests K Ramachandran announced in the Assembly on Monday that the Nanjarayan Tank in Tiruppur district will be turned into a bird sanctuary at a cost of Rs 7.5 crore and slender loris sanctuaries will be established in Dindigul and Karur districts, with Rs 5 crore being allocated for the project.
During the debate on the demand for grants for his department, the minister announced a slew of measures to improve the biodiversity of the State. He said the mission to protect turtles and their habitats would be set up in Chennai at Rs 6.3 crore. The centre would foster research, awareness and related activities on turtles, he said.
To increase the number of bird sanctuaries in the State and utilise the potential of Nanjarayan tank, which is home to about 130 species, the tank would become the State’s 17th bird sanctuary. Besides, steps would be taken to set up the Cauvery South Wildlife Sanctuary adjacent to the Cauvery North Wildlife Sanctuary. “About Rs 5 crore has been allotted for preparing a detailed project report for this,” the minister underlined.
To reduce dependence on fossil fuels, the department has planned to procure 256 electric two-wheelers at cost of Rs 232 crore and they will be provided to the forest department field staff. Chennai’s familiar landmarks — the Adyar river, Buckingham Canal and Cooum river — would sport a green look, as the government would take up the planting of saplings on river banks, the minister said. Five new eco-tourism sites will be established in the Nilgiris, Dindigul, Namakkal and other districts, the minister added.