After taking charge, T.N. CM chairs first meeting of State Wildlife Board on Wednesday

CM Stalin said from this year, T.N. will implement biodiversity conservation and greening projects as a response to climate change, with an outlay of ₹920.56 crore with assistance from the Japan International Cooperation Agency

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. K. Stalin on Wednesday chaired the first meeting of the State Wildlife Board, after the DMK government assumed power and said the State would always be a leader in the protection wildlife as well as in the safeguarding of natural resources.

Addressing the meeting at the Secretariat, Mr. Stalin, who is the chairperson of the Board, said that his government has taken a number of measures to make Tamil Nadu a leading State in terms of forests and wildlife protection. He highlighted measures such as the notification of the Kaduvur slender loris sanctuary, the setting up of the country’s first Dugong Conservation Reserve in the Palk Bay, and other initiatives.

Mr. Stalin also released a book titled ‘Tamil Nadu Wild Life Wealth’, which lists out measures taken by the State government for wildlife protection. It also covers the ‘Elephant Death Audit Framework, which has details about death of elephants and measures to be followed [to protect them].

The CM also said that from this year, the State will implement biodiversity conservation and greening projects as a response to climate change, with an outlay of ₹920.56 crore with assistance from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

Measures have also been undertaken to restore degraded forest land, with about ₹481.14 crore assistance from the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD), Mr. Stalin said.

Earlier in the day, the CM had chaired the 21st meeting of the Governing Board of the Zoo Authority of Tamil Nadu.

Speaking at the meeting, he told the Environment, Climate Change and Forests Department, as well as the management of the Arignar Anna Zoological Park in Vandalur, to frame a long-term plan integrating the optimum and best use of natural resources. He also called for upgrading the facilities across zoological parks in the State.