Presenting Tamil Nadu’s Budget for 2023-24, state Finance Minister Palanivel Thiagarajan (PTR) announced several schemes intended to protect wildlife and address environmental concerns. In the state Budget, a sum of Rs 1,248 crore has been allocated to the department of environment, climate change and forests. Among the newly announced measures for wildlife protection are:
Finance Minister PTR announced a new wildlife sanctuary in Erode district, the 18th one in Tamil Nadu. The proposed sanctuary will comprise Anthiyur and Gobichettipalayam talukas, and will be spread over 80,567 hectares. The sanctuary will be named after EV Ramasamy, popularly known as Periyar and the ‘Father of the Dravidian Movement.’
The Thanthai Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary is aimed at connecting the Nilgiris Biosphere Reserve with the Cauvery South Wildlife Sanctuary, a set of reserve forests located in the Krishnagiri and Dharmapuri districts. The new sanctuary is meant to ensure that the state has a contiguous stretch of protected forests essential to protect endangered wildlife.
Another new project was announced by PTR on Monday, March 20, to conserve the coastal ecosystem and livelihood of the coastal population, which are vulnerable to climate change. The Finance Minister said that the state government would implement the Tamil Nadu Neidhal Meetchi Iyakkam (Tamil Nadu Coastal Restoration Mission) with the objectives of preventing sea erosion, reducing marine pollution, and conserving marine biodiversity. According to PTR, the mission will be implemented at an estimated cost of Rs 2,000 crore over the next five years, with assistance from the World Bank.
An international bird centre will be set up in Marakkanam in Villupuram district, at an estimated cost of Rs 25 crore. Located in the Central Asian Flyway – a large area of Eurasia comprising many important migration routes of waterbirds – Tamil Nadu hosts many migratory birds every year. The bird centre will promote the conservation of birds, encourage research in the field of ornithology, and create awareness about the role of birds in nature, PTR said.
To tackle climate change, the government announced a climate literacy program for women, called ‘Climate Warriors’. This program is focused on women and will be led by self-help groups (SHGs). In the initial phase, 500 SHGs will lead the campaign to spread awareness about the environment and climate change. The SHGs will be provided with electric autos at a cost of Rs 20 crore.