Tamil Nadu mulling biodiversity project

A Rs 635 crore biodiversity conservation project is on the anvil in the state, Tamil Nadu Forests Minister N Selvaraj said today.

A draft proposal has been submitted to the Centre with an intention of soliciting Japanese aid, he told reporters here.

The main focus would be bio-diversity conservation and rasing of vegetation in geo-forestry locations, he said.

The state had executed Japanese aided aforestation projects during  2007-08,2008-2009 and 2009-2010 and 32584 hectares had been covered. The target for the current year is 36,000 hectares forest cover.

In view of the coming World Classical Tamil conference, the ministry planned to plant one lakh tree saplings in Coimbatore district, he said.

After the present DMK government assumed charge, the state had raised over 7.15 crore tree saplings. This year the target is 2.6 core saplings out of which the planation corporation would plant 60 lakhs,he said.

Referring to Tiger population in the state, he expressed optimism that the state would be "very strong" in enhancement of the Big cat population. "Tiger census exercise conducted at the national level by the Wild Life Institute of India is almost over and the results of tabulation are awaited by November 2010."

On sandalwood logs, he said government was not in haste to sell it. It was waiting for the prices to go up.

In the last four years stocks of 164 tonnes had been sold which included 20 tonnes in 2009-2010 and average realistation price per tonne was Rs.31.30 lakh.

This year it was planned to sell about 100 tonnes,he added.