Ooty, Hogenakkal among climate resilient villages initiative

CHENNAI: Tourist destinations, including Ooty, Courtallam and Hogenakkal, will be converted into plastic-free zones and buildings of government and private businesses will be powered completely by solar energy as the state government has announced the list of 11 villages (tourist destinations) to be improved under climate resilient villages initiative.

While addressing the state assembly during the ongoing budget session, Siva V Meyyanathan, Environment and Climate Change minister, disclosed the list of 11 villages.

The 11 villages shortlisted under the project are: Kodiakarai in Nagapattinam district, Muthupettai in Tiruvarur district, Kodaikanal in Dindigul district, Courtallam in Tenkasi district, Pichavaram in Cuddalore district, Rameshwaram in Ramanathanpuram district, Yercaud in Salem district, Ooty in the Nilgiris, Hogenakkal in Dharmapuri district, Pazhaverkadu in Tiruvallur district and Thiruchendur in Thoothukudi district.

He said that the tourist destinations get polluted as a huge number of visitors throng them. "No one in the selected places could not use plastic and government as well as private business buildings should be powered by solar energy," he said.

He added that green cover will be increased in those areas and sewage treatment plants will be set up to prevent pollution. The project will be implemented on pilot basis and the chief minister will launch the initiative at Rs 10 crore.

It may be noted that the state government has partnered with World Resources Institute (WRI) to carry out the initiative. Meanwhile, Stalin announced that the initiative will be taken up while addressing in the launch of Tamil Nadu Climate Change Mission in December, 2022.

Meyyanathan pointed out to a report of the International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) that warned the nations of rapid global warming. The central government has fixed year 2070 to attain net-zero status by cutting carbon dioxide emission. "The chief minister has announced that the measures will be taken reach net-zero in the state before 2070," he said.