'Improve forest roads': Min Ramachandran in review meeting

CHENNAI: Minister for Forest Department K Ramachandran along with State-level officers held a review meeting on Tuesday regarding the progress of the works being implemented under various projects across Tamil Nadu.

The Minister, during the meeting, ordered officials to fulfill demands of forest dwellers for improving the forest roads on a priority basis. Additionally, the meeting also discussed increasing the forest area in the State to 33 per cent through the Green Tamil Nadu Movement this year.

In the first phase of the movement, 2.80 crore saplings have been planted by 360 nurseries. Besides this, orders have been placed to implement measures to safeguard the environment while also improving the basic facilities for the tribal residents inside the forest.

The meeting also highlighted ten important demands received by the Chief Minister MK Stalin from each constituency. Accordingly, the Minister informed officers to quickly fulfill the demands of the legislators in their constituencies.

Besides this, he directed officers to diligently carry out the work to prevent wildlife-human conflicts in the habitats. To accomplish this, the District Forest Officers (DFOs), who are the backbone of the department, should send appropriate proposals for the projects required in their area, get allocation of funds and complete the work within the specified time frame, urged the minister.

Subsequently, the meeting also discussed the procurement of electric bikes for forest workers, eco-tourism work at the cost Rs 16 crore, increase in monetary compensation for victims of wildlife attack to Rs 10 lakh.

Additionally, meeting brainstormed on the Kalakadu Mundanthurai Tiger Sanctuary development work at Rs 3.6 crore, the implementation of legislative announcements like starting of Solaikkadu conservation center at Rs 5.2 crore and implementation of forest management works at Rs 32 crore.

The Minister lastly gave instructions to the officers to carry out maintenance work for specific years with proper planning and development activities