The state government has proposed to establish a tiger sanctuary at Sathyamangalam, forest minister K.T. Pachaimal announced in the Assembly.
“The tiger reserve will be established on 1.41 lakh hectare area in the Sathyamangalam Wildlife Sanctuary.
This will be the fourth tiger reserve in the state after Kalakkad -Mundanthurai, Anamalai and Mudumalai reserves,” he said while winding up the debate on the demand for grants for his department on Monday.
On the Rs 8.67 crore Butterfly Park announced for chief minister J. Jayalalithaa’s constituency Srirangam, the minister said a special scheme has been drawn for establishing the butterfly park on 10-hectare area in Upper Anaicut Reserve Forest near Srirangam.
The government has agreed to meet the cost of the project by utilising the funds from the 13th Finance Commission grants.
Under the Tamil Nadu Biodiversity Conservation and Greening Project, the minister said, it has been proposed to raise about 10 crore saplings in 5,000 revenue villages by 2016 – 17 and it will be implemented at a cost of Rs 84 crore during 2012 – 13. During 2012 – 13 fiscal, about one crore saplings would be raised in 1,000 revenue villages at a cost of `15.16 crore.
Mr Pachaimal said a legislation would be brought to prevent felling of trees on government lands. And in the event of cutting down a tree, it would have to be compensated by planting 10 saplings, he said adding a committee would be formed to monitor this.
As part of the efforts to prevent man-animal conflict, the government has allocated Rs. 10 crore for taking up the work this year.