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Chennai, Apr 25 (PTI) The Tamil Nadu government would establish an international conservation and rehabilitation centre to protect Olive Ridley turtles in Chennai and also initiate measures to declare the Nanjarayan tank, a biodiversity hotspot in Tiruppur district, as the State's 17th bird sanctuary, Forest Minister K Ramachandran told the Assembly on Monday.

Announcing a slew of measures to improve biodiversity of the state, he said the mission to protect the turtles and their habitats would be set up here at a cost of Rs 6.3 crore. The centre would foster research, awareness and related activities on the turtles, he said. "This will be implemented under the Tamil Nadu Green Mission, which would go a long way towards climate change mitigation and adaptations," he said.

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Also, Chennai's familiar landmarks: the Adyar river, Buckingham Canal and Cooum river would sport a green look, as the government would take up the planting of saplings on the river banks, he said.

Further, the Nanjarayan tank, home to about 130 species, would be developed as the 17th bird sanctuary in the State, the Minister said. Steps woud be taken to set up the Cauvery south wildlife sanctuary adjacent to the Cauvery north wildlife sanctuary. "About Rs 5 crore has been allotted for preparing a detailed project report for this," Ramachandran said.

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Meanwhile, a policy-note tabled by the Minister said the government would set up a marine elite force for strategic protection of the coastal and marine biodiversity, prevention of wildlife poaching and illegal trade in the coastal regions as the marine resources are constantly exploited for economic reasons.

"Many protected marine species are also hunted illegally by the poachers and smugglers as those fetch huge prices in domestic and international illegal wildlife markets. Thus, many of rare and endangered species are facing constant threats to their survival due to over exploitation," he said in the note.

Practice of prohibited trawl net fishing and other illegal fishing methods bring additional stress on the species. Marine turtles, sea cucumbers, sea horses, sharks and rays, pipe fishes, dugongs, dolphins, and sea shells face extraordinary hunting pressures. "In order to address the above and to strengthen protection in the ecological sensitive coastal marine areas in the Gulf of Mannar Biosphere reserve particularly the Gulf of Mannar Marine National Park and the Palk Bay, establishment of the marine elite force with professional training and exposure is proposed," the note added.

Also, the government would set up forest sniffer dog squad units for detection of forest and wildlife offences besides a forest and wildlife crime control bureau to detect and prevent planned wildlife crimes.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)