CHENNAI: In the biggest and most comprehensive step yet, to conserve turtle population along the Tamil Nadu coast, the state government has announced setting up of a Turtle Conservation and Rehabilitation Centre at an estimated Rs 6.3 crore.
An order issued by Supriya Sahu, secretary of environment, climate change and forest department, on Friday, said the centre would rescue and offer treatment to injured turtles and release them back into the sea. It will build an information network to curb poaching and identify turtle nesting areas on Tamil Nadu coast. It will also study turtle migratory routes using conventional flipper tagging, molecular genetics and satellite telemetry.
The Turtle Conservation and Rehabilitation Centre will have turtle pools and sheds, in addition to the medical facilities for rehabilitation. The centre will act as a temporary home to sick and injured turtles. The resource and knowledge centre with modern visitor amenities will make it a state-of-the-art centre for learning and awareness on turtle conservation.
The centre will also coordinate with district administration, municipal authorities, panchayat institutions, police, customs, navy, coast guard, fisheries department, fisherfolk, NGOs and civil society organization for turtle conservation programmes, read the order.
The GO was issued in response to a request from the principal chief conservator of forests and chief wildlife warden to sanction funds for setting up a Turtle conservation facility at Guindy National Park.
Funds will be released in instalments on a need-to basis as and when bills and utilisation certificates are sent by the PCCF and chief wildlife warden, it said.tnn
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