Southern States - Tamil Nadu

Ban on planting saplings on PWD tank beds goes

By Our Special Correspondent

CHENNAI April 29. In a major policy initiative, the State Government has lifted the ban on planting saplings on PWD and panchayat union tank beds and decided to ``regularise'' the toll on forest roads, the Forest Minister, P. Mohan, told the Assembly today. The curbs were being removed to increase the green cover, the Minister said, replying to the debate on demand for grants for the Forest and Environment departments.

In another policy proposal, the Government would rope in private participation for growing trees such as neem on 71,013 hectares of the reserve forests under the Tamil Nadu Forest Planatation Corporation.

The Minister announced a Rs. 130-crore project to conserve rare aqua-species and coastal biodiversity in the Gulf of Mannar with Global Environment Facility assistance.

At an outlay of Rs.172 crores, about 35,000 hectares of degraded forests in 108 villages would be treated and developed under the social forestry programme. Besides, a Rs.779-crore proposal for improving about 2,50,000 hectares of degraded forests in 1,000 villages under Phase II of the Tamil Nadu Afforestation Project had been posed to the Japan Bank for International Cooperation for assistance.

A Rs.30.50-crore project, first of its kind in the State, was announced for the Ambur municipaltity for diluting treated industrial effluents containing high Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) with treated domestic wastewater. Earlier, during the debate, the CPI (M) member, D. Mony, alleged that 2,000 acres of forest land in Kanyakumari had been given away to an industrial group. Responding, the Minister said action would be intiated to retrieve it.

Mr. Mony, charged that precious forest land at Azhagiya Pandipuram in Kanyakumari had been earmarked as patta land and taken away by the industrial house. Responding to another plea by Mr. Mony, the Minister assured that efforts would be taken to cut down administrative cost in the Arasu Rubber Corporation in Kanyakumari and make it profitable.

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