Stalin calls for increasing green cover in Tamil Nadu

CHENNAI: Calling upon the people to grow a plant even if they got a single inch of land, Chief Minister M K Stalin stressed on the need for protecting nature and increasing the green cover in the State as the lives of people in the traditional Tamil society, as elucidated in ancient literature, had been intertwined with nature.

Quoting a Red Indian proverb warning that one would realize that money can not be eaten only after the last tree is cut, the last river turns into poison and the last fish is caught, Stalin hoped that such a situation never came to the State while inaugurating the Green Tamil Nadu Mission at Vandalur on Saturday.

Launched by the State Department of Environment, Climate Change and Forests, the ambitious mission aims at increasing the State’s green cover by 33 per cent through the planting of 2.80 crore saplings of native species in urban areas, farm lands, educational institutions, temple land, factories, land owned by factories, banks of water bodies and public land.

Stressing on the need of public participation in the mission, which had received financial support from Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) that had pledged to give Rs 920.28 crore for forest development and NABARD that had agreed to provide Rs 481.14 crore for developing forest lands, the Chief Minister said that saving Nature was the need of the hour.

When Nature was threatened by development we had to rush in and save it from destruction since forests and trees play a key role in achieving sustainable livelihood, sustainable agriculture and food security, he said.

Giving an example of trees and nature protecting people from natural disasters, Stalin said when Cyclone Gaja struck the eastern coast in 2018, causing widespread destruction, people living in places like Pichavaram and Pudhupettai were shielded by the mangrove forests.

He spoke about Climate Change wreaking havoc in our present day life with temperatures increasing, hot air blowing in some places, rains becoming unpredictable and pouring without warning and cautioned the people to be careful in protecting Nature.

Conserving natural water bodies, desilting lakes and protecting the soil, water and air from pollution were some of the key things to be done, he said, adding that the use of plastic bags should be done away with completely and referred to the ‘yellow bag, again’ initiative by the government.

At the launch of the mission in Chennai, in which school children planted saplings along with the Chief Minister, donations from various corporate companies and even smaller organisations like the Women Auto Drivers’ Association were also presented through cheques totalling Rs 46,15,000.

Besides, the mission was launched simultaneously at all districts by State Ministers, local body representatives and district collectors, thus kickstarting the green movement all over the State as the idea was to help people in forest areas - villagers, tribes and farmers - improve their livelihood by planting economically viable trees like sandalwood, red sanders and rosewood.

An exclusive website www.greentnmission.com was also launched to not just monitor the planting of saplings all over the State but also follow up on their survival rate.