Chapter 12

The environment sustains all life plants and animals that provide us food, clothing, medicines, raw materials and all other human needs including a livable atmosphere providing the basic life support system to us. Natural resources form the basis of all our scientific advances, technological progress, genetic engineering, agriculture and industries. It is the basis of human survival itself. Natural resources, which are vital for food, livelihood and environmental security, are under intense pressure today. The challenges of their conservation and sustainable use remain enormous. The issue of environmental sustainability formally entered the international agenda after the Earth Summit held in Rio de Janerio in 1992.

The land base per person is shrinking, posing the challenge of maintaining the soil health while obtaining more and more from less and less area and quality of land. Soil erosion accelerates greenhouse effect. The task is to reverse land degradation under the present patterns of land use, biotic pressure, state of technology and investment.

The water resources are also facing problems of pollution leading to high occurrence of water borne diseases.

The major task country is to rehabilitate the degraded forests and to enhance the area under forest/tree cover to 33% of total area as envisaged in the National Forest Policy, 1988. In the Tenth Five Year Plan document of the Union Planning Commission, it is indicated as one of the monitorable targets that the forest cover of the country should be increased to 25% by 2007 and 33% by 2012.

Ecological Security: One of the points in the Chief Minister's 15 point programme for realising the vision of making Tamil Nadu the best State in the country by providing opportunities for a healthy and productive life for all is ecological security.

The goals/objectives of the State Government during the Tenth Five Year Plan period are as follows:

§ Protection of environment and reduction of wastes at source, besides continuing enforcement and monitoring activities.

§ Conservation and enhancement of life support systems like land, water, forests, biodiversity, ocean and the atmosphere giving ecological security.

§ Properly treating or converting the pollutants into useful products and thereby reducing their negative impact.

§ Emphasising the environmentally safe waste disposal options viz, composting of all organic wastes, common facilities for bio-medical wastes, etc.

§ Maintaining essential ecological processes to ensure genetic diversity and prevent environmental degradation.

§ Promoting the active participation of people at all levels - from the village panchayat to the State as a whole - in the preservation of the environment and promotion of sustainable development through awareness campaigns.

The outlay for 'Ecology and Environment' sector for the Tenth Plan period is Rs. 197.20 crores, out of which the State budget outlay is Rs.113.05 crores. The details are given below. The sources of funding for the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board and the Department of Environment are also indicated.

Sl. No.	Department/ Agency	State Fund	Central Fund	Fund from Internal / own mobilisation (Board) resources	Total
1.	Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board	---	42.02	14.40	56.42
2.	Department of Environment	113.05	27.73	---	140.78
	Total	113.05	69.75	14.40	197.20

An amount of Rs.37.43 lakhs was approved for the head of development Ecology and Environment for the year 2002-03. Against this, the expenditure is anticipated to be Rs.48.14 lakhs. The expenditure is meant for salaries of staff employed in the Department of Environment.

For the year 2003-04, an amount of Rs.97.41 lakhs is proposed. The details of the schemes are as follows:

In order to ensure an exclusive attention on better environment and to draw up a realistic Plan of Action under Agenda 21 of Rio Conference of 1992, the Government created a Department of Environment as a line department during the year 1995-96 under the administrative control of the Department of Environment and Forests. This Department will deal with all the aspects of Environmental Management other than those dealt with by the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board and the Forest Department. The Department has been in charge of implementation of major projects like pollution abatement in Cauvery system, pollution abatement in Chennai City Waterways, National Lake Conservation programme and all aspects of environment other than those dealt with by Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board. Environmental Awareness Programme will be continued in three tourists spots viz., Mamallapuram, Rameswaram, and Kanyakumari, two Hill Stations, viz., Udhagamandalam and Kodaikanal through NGOs. Wide publicity is being given on World Environment Day, Ozone Day and on Bohi day to create environmental awareness among the general public.

An amount of Rs 63.40 lakhs is proposed for 2003 - 2004 for the Department of Environment.

Demarcation of High Tide Line and Low Tide Line in the coastal stretches of Tamil Nadu

Government of Tamil Nadu had approved the work of fixing HTL from Pulicat Lake to Palar River mouth to a length of 110 kms. through the Chief Hydrographer, Dehradun, Government of India. Accordingly, survey work has been completed. The HTL has been demarcated with reference to the position on ground either with peg marks or with reference to some permanent buildings. The stone pillars are to be erected wherever necessary. Outlay has not been shown for the year 2003-04 for this purpose.

1. Eco -restoration of Sholinghur Temple in Vellore District at a cost of Rs.9 lakhs. on pilot basis

4. Environmental Amelioration through Self Help Groups at a cost of Rs.12 lakhs.

Thus an outlay of Rs.34 lakhs has been proposed for new schemes to be taken up during 2003-04. The details are given below.

Reversal of loss of ecology is one of the objectives of the Tenth Plan. There are number of temples located on top of the hillocks in Tamil Nadu. Most of these hillocks are barren. Similarly, most of the compostible waste generated in the premises and its environs is not being put to proper use at present. This could be composted and used as manure in the process of regeneration. The sullage water could also be used for watering saplings. Better environmental management of the surrounding areas of the temple is also warranted. This will be undertaken in coordination with the local body and HR & CE Department. A pilot project is proposed to be undertaken in Sholingur Temple hillock in Vellore District.

Over 1260 School Eco-Clubs have been established spread all over the State during Ninth Plan Period for spreading environment messages throughout the state. Besides National Green Corps scheme of Government of India has been established in 2900 school at the rate of 200 schools per district during 2002-03. As a new approach, location of specific eco-friendly activities such as rain water harvesting, vermicomposting etc., will be undertaken in select higher educational Institutions (Colleges and High Schools) in the State, which would be converted into eco-friendly model Institutions. They will have demonstration effect on other educational institutions as well as the society at large. For this purpose training in solid waste management, rain water harvesting etc., would be given to them. It is proposed to give assistance to 60 model eco-clubs of selected schools at Rs. 5000/- per eco-club during the year 2003-04 for establishing model vermi-composting, Rainwater Harvesting units in their school.

Specific need based Environmental Research will be promoted in the areas of Bio-diversity assessment, low-cost waste water treatment, solid waste management, problem soil treatment under combating desertification programme, river/ lake Water quality monitoring, urban forestry and aesthetic plantation to minimize air and noise pollution in cities. Research capabilities of various universities will be made use of. Selected Research Scholars/ Students will be provided Research Associates/ Senior Research Fellowships / Junior Research Fellowships as per UGC/ ICAR norms for undertaking research and assisting the Department of Environment in this regard.

Summing up, an amount of Rs.97.41 lakhs is proposed for “Ecology and Environment” under State Plan Schemes for the year 2003-2004 as given below:

Sl. No.	Scheme	Outlay (Rs. in Lakhs)
1.	Department of Environment	63.40
2	New Schemes	34.00
3	Pollution Control Test Wing	0.01
	Total	97.41

The Department of Environment has been implementing a 100% Centrally sponsored scheme, 'Abatement of Pollution in five stretches of Cauvery River in Tamil Nadu' at an overall project cost of Rs.36.28 crores since 1996-97, the project period being ten years. A sum of Rs.16.58 crores has been spent by the executing agencies, viz., TWAD Board and the concerned Local Bodies, and this amount has been utilised fully. The scheme will be continued during 2003-04.

Under the Non-Core Scheme, works in respect of construction of Low Cost Sanitation facility, River Front Development(RFD), bathing ghats and wood based crematoria (WBC) have been completed. Under the Core scheme, interception and diversion of sewage treatment works are being implemented by the Tamil Nadu Water Supply and Drainage Board in Erode, Komarapalayam, Bhavani, Pallipalayam. All the works in Tiruchy have been completed. Interception and diversion of sewage works in Komarapalayam and Erode have been completed and other works are in progress.

1) Chennai City River Conservation Project - the work is progressing in 11 out of 16 packages viz., Cooum, Buckingham Canal, Adyar, Otteri Nullah, Captain Cook's canal and Mambalam Channel

2) National River Conservation Plan - New Integrated Schemes with the assistance of National River Conservation Directorate (GOI) in five towns viz., Madurai, Kumbakonam, Thanjavur, Tirunelveli and Mayiladuthurai

5) As part of National Green Corps to create environmental awareness among school and college students, 1260 eco-clubs have been formed by the Department of Environment involving educational institutions and NGOs, and

6) Formation of Environment Management Agency of Tamil Nadu to co-ordinate with GOI and various implementing agencies for the effective implementation of various projects.

7) Coastal Zone Management – In order to protect the coastal areas and implement Coastal Regulation Zone Notification 1991.

8) Environmental Award: To honour the best NGOs, Experts and individuals in the field of environment, Environment Award will be distributed at World Environment Day celebrations on 5^th June every year.

The other Centrally-Sponsored Schemes are (i) Scheme for implementation of water quality monitoring programme and (ii) Pollution Control Test.