Tamil Nadu to get financial support to increase forest cover

Chennai: The Tamil Nadu government will get funds to increase the forest cover in the state. Sources in the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests, told IANS that the state government has submitted a representation to the central government seeking support for increasing the state's forest cover.

Sources said that the Union Minister has assured his Tamil Nadu counterpart that money would be sanctioned for the purpose but the volume would be decided only after detailed deliberations with the officials of both sides. However, the amount sought by the state for increasing the forest cover of Tamil Nadu was not disclosed.

In a statement, Tamil Nadu Forest Minister, K. Ramachandran's office said that the minister had met Union Minister for Environment and Forests, Bhupender Yadav, and submitted a proposal to him for increasing the forest cover of the state from the present 23.98 per cent to 33 per cent. The meeting was held on Monday at the Union minister's office in New Delhi.

The Tamil Nadu government also have submitted a proposal for developing the marshy lands of Pallikkaranai lake. It may be noted that the Madurai bench of the Madras High Court had on August 19 directed the state to treat Pallikarani marshy land as a 'Ramsar' site and to conserve it environmentally.

The state government has also sought the support of the central government for maintaining tiger reserves in the state. It may be recalled that the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) has already sanctioned an amount of Rs 4.25 crore for the newly formed Srivilliputhur Megamalai Tiger Reserve (SMTR) under the Project Tiger scheme.

The state minister has also requested the central government to sanction funds to reduce the human-animal conflict that has been taking place frequently in parts of Tamil Nadu.

Sources in the Union environment and forest minister's office said that the Tamil Nadu government has also sought funds for developing the Elephant corridor in the state.