Rs 1,500 crore for increasing green cover in Eastern Ghats

COIMBATORE: Tamil Nadu government has allocated Rs 1,500 crore for developing green cover in the much neglected Eastern Ghats, Tamil Nadu Agricutural University (TNAU) vice-chancellor K Ramasamy said on Thursday.

So far efforts had been on developing Western Ghats, which runs through Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka, and now the Government has allotted Rs.1,500 crore for developing Eastern Ghats, he told reporters here.

With East Coast Road on place, the govenrment wanted to use it to tap marine wealth and help fishermen, for which the cooperation from fisheries, animal husbandry and pwd departments and also forest department, would be sought and taken, he said.

Tamil Nadu has increased its forest cover to 22 per cent and once Eastern Ghats was covered by green, mainly canopy oriented, it can reach to 27 per cent, he claimed.

On development at university front, Ramasamy said 11 new centres of excellence would be set up in all 10 constituent colleges of TNAU where two-year training for students, who graduated from the university, can be given. This would make them eligible to be appointed as associated professors.