World Bank gives Rs 14.8cr to revive biosphere reserve
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CHENNAI: Biodiversity conservation and rural livelihood improvement
work in Agasthiyarmalai is set to get a big boost as the World Bank has
allocated 14.8 crore for the project.
A Venkatesh, field director, Kalakkad, Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve, told TOI that under the four-year project, authorities will identify more than five acres of degraded land.
The fund will be utilised to impart training to villagers to find eco-friendly alternative means of employment. It will also be used to provide loans to villagers and to market eco-friendly products made by them. "The department is in the process of identifying employment opportunities that are remunerative to the beneficiaries," Venkatesh said.
Agasthiyarmalai landscape is spread over five districts — Madurai, Theni, Virudhunagar, Tirunelveli and Kanyakumari. The Kalakkad-Mundanthurai Tiger Conservation Foundation will implement the programme in 600 villages in these districts. Nearly 125 families will be selected from each village and they will be imparted training. Initially, 25 villages will be chosen, which will cover 5,000 families. By the end of the project, which is expected to complete in 2019, 1.50 lakh families will be benefited by the scheme, said Venkatesh. Another major work proposed as part of the programme is to restore the Vaigai river, which dries up for nearly six months in a year. "We want to rope in the local people in this work," he said
A Venkatesh, field director, Kalakkad, Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve, told TOI that under the four-year project, authorities will identify more than five acres of degraded land.
The fund will be utilised to impart training to villagers to find eco-friendly alternative means of employment. It will also be used to provide loans to villagers and to market eco-friendly products made by them. "The department is in the process of identifying employment opportunities that are remunerative to the beneficiaries," Venkatesh said.
Agasthiyarmalai landscape is spread over five districts — Madurai, Theni, Virudhunagar, Tirunelveli and Kanyakumari. The Kalakkad-Mundanthurai Tiger Conservation Foundation will implement the programme in 600 villages in these districts. Nearly 125 families will be selected from each village and they will be imparted training. Initially, 25 villages will be chosen, which will cover 5,000 families. By the end of the project, which is expected to complete in 2019, 1.50 lakh families will be benefited by the scheme, said Venkatesh. Another major work proposed as part of the programme is to restore the Vaigai river, which dries up for nearly six months in a year. "We want to rope in the local people in this work," he said
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