In a thrust towards climate change control measures, the Tamil Nadu government will launch a Tamil Nadu Climate Change Mission under Chief Minister MK Stalin to focus on climate change adaptation and mitigation activities with a total outlay of Rs 500 crore. Further, the second phase of the Climate Change Adaptation Programme in the Cauvery Delta area will be taken up at a total cost of Rs 1,825 crore with assistance from the Asian Development Bank, Finance Minister PT Palanivel Thiagarajan (PTR) announced in the Budget session in the Tamil Nadu Assembly on Friday, August 13.
The Tamil Nadu government will also launch the Green Tamil Nadu Mission to increase the total area under forest and tree cover in Tamil Nadu to 33% of the land area of the state. Under the mission, a massive tree plantation programme of indigenous and diverse species, in coordination with multiple departments, public and private institutions, will be taken up over 10 years, it was announced in the Budget.
Special attention will be paid to modernisation of the forest force by equipping them with modern equipment and technology including Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV), artificial intelligence, GIS (Geographical Information System) and MIS (Management Information System) based management systems, updated weaponry and forest-worthy vehicles.
Over the next five years, 10 beaches will be upgraded with the active support of local bodies to achieve the prestigious Blue Flag Certification, which mandates higher standards of quality, safety and environmental education and information. India’s first Integrated Environment Monitoring Studio will be established for forecasting air quality on a real time basis with an early warning system, it was further announced.
“Under the leadership of the Chief Minister, this government will launch the ‘Tamil Nadu Wetlands Mission’ with the objective of ecological restoration of wetlands in Tamil Nadu. The mission will identify and map 100 wetlands in five years and restore the ecological balance with focus on livelihood options at a cost of Rs 150 crore,” it was announced.