Lok Sabha Question No. 57 (STARRED), answered on 2023-07-24
Subject: Special Package for Environmental Awareness
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: S. Ramalingam

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 57

TO BE ANSWERED ON 24.07.2023

## Special Package for Environmental Awareness

## *57. SHRI RAMALINGAM S.:

Will the Minister of ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has taken any serious steps to address the issues in the low lying  habitation of  24  sea  shores villages  in  Mayiladuthurai District  of  Tamil Nadu which  are adversely affected in Mandous  and  Nisha  Cyclones, especially in Tharangambadi, Poompuhar, Thoduvai, Thirumullaivasal, Keelumoovarkarai, Nadhal padugai, Mudhalaimedu Thittu, Mathirvelu, Kodiyampalayam and Vellamanal areas;
- (b) whether the Government has attempted to study the aspects of climate change and waste management and its problems in the rural areas of State of Tamil Nadu especially in Mayiladuthurai and Nagapattinam districts, if so the details thereof; and
- (c) whether any special package of environmental awareness is likely to be given especially for the socially deprived communities in the above mentioned areas of Mayiladuthurai District, if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER FOR ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE (SHRI BHUPENDER YADAV)

- (a) to (c): A Statement laid on the table of the House

Statement referred to in reply to parts (a) to (c) of Lok Sabha Starred Question No. 57  to  be  answered  in  Monday,  the  24 th   July  2023  on  'Special  Package  for Environmental Awareness' by Shri Ramalingam S .

- (a) India's action on climate change is guided by the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC), which is the overarching policy framework and comprises of national missions in  specific  areas  of  solar  energy,  enhanced  energy  efficiency,  water,  agriculture, Himalayan  eco-system,  sustainable  habitat,  green  India,  human  health  and  strategic knowledge on climate change.  These  National  Missions  are  anchored  by  specific line Ministries/Departments with each Mission having its action plan. Thirty-four States/Union Territories (UTs) including Tamil Nadu have prepared their State Action Plans on Climate Change (SAPCC) in line with NAPCC taking into account the State specific issues relating to climate change. The responsibility of the implementation of the SAPCC's rest with the respective States.

The Government of Tamil Nadu has launched Tamil Nadu Climate Change Mission, with a total outlay of Rs.500 crores during the year 2021-22. The Government of Tamil Nadu has  sanctioned  Rs.75.50  crores  in  March'2022  for  various  activities,  which  include 'Rehabilitation  of  coastal  habitats  for  climate  Change  adaptation  through  eco- friendly solution' at a cost of Rs.50 crores. The activity involves components like formation of bioshield through cultivation of casuarina, palmyrah, cashew and other specialized species; propagating mangrove plantation  in coastal  districts,  and  protecting  and  enhancing  the growth of seagrass and coral reefs.

The Government of Tamil Nadu is also implementing coastal protection work to prevent coastal erosion in vulnerable villages of Mayiladuthurai District. Rubble mound sea wall, for a total length of 4365 meters at total cost of 51.07 crore, between August 2000 to July 2014,  has  been  constructed  in  Poompuhar,  Tharangambadi  Village,  Palayar  Village, Thirumullaivasal  Village,  Vanagirikuppam.  Groynes have  also  been  constructed  in Vanagirikuppam. With respect to loss of agricultural lands due to sea water ingress, Tamil Nadu  is  implementing  tail  end  regulators  across  the  distributaries  of  Cauvery  River flowing  in  the  delta  Districts  of  Mayiladuthurai  and  Nagapattinam.  (Details  of  these initiatives are placed at Annexure).

(b) The Government of India through its National Coastal Management Programme has undertaken pilot projects for development of environmentally sound waste management and pollution control infrastructure at Kovalam Beach, Tamil Nadu. Various environmental awareness programmes have been carried out for coastal communities and visitors to the Beach in last 3 years.

The Government of Tamil Nadu has undertaken studies for analysing the aspects of climate change  and  waste  management  such  as  baseline  studies  including  Waste  to  Energy; Rehabilitation of Coastal Habitats; Carbon enrichment Programme; Climate Literacy; and Climate Smart Villages. Climate Studio has collected the data for analysing various aspects of climate change such as district vulnerability to climate change, related hazards, risks etc.  for  all  the  districts  of  Tamil  Nadu  including  the  districts  of  Mayiladuthurai  and Nagapattinam.

(c) Environmental awareness programmes are conducted in Tamil Nadu through National Green Corps (NGC) and Eco Clubs. Under the National Mission of Strategic Knowledge on  Climate  Change,  State  climate  change  data  bank,  State  climate  change  knowledge portal  and  climate  change  knowledge  management  cell  have  been  established.  Several training programmes and awareness campaigns, especially on climate resilient agriculture in  coastal  regions,  conservation  and  management  of  coral  reefs,  sea  grass  beds  and mangroves  are  focusing  on  relevant  stakeholders.  However,  no  special  package  of environmental awareness has been created exclusively for the socially deprived communities in the above mentioned areas of Mayiladuthurai District.

***

Annexure referred to reply to part (a) to (c) of Lok Sabha Starred Question no. 57 due for  reply  on  24.07.2023  raised  by  Shri  Ramalingam  S.  On  'Special  Package  for Environmental Awareness'

The following coastal protection works have been implemented to prevent coastal erosion in vulnerable villages of Mayiladuthurai District:

|   Sl. No | Name of Structure (Bund / Sluice gate / Tail End Regulator / Sea Wall /RMS Wall / Groyne)                                   |   Length of the Structure (in m) |   Estimate Amount Rs in Lakhs | Year of Construction       |
|----------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------|-------------------------------|----------------------------|
|        1 | Construction of Rubble Mound Sea wall in Poompuhar of Sirkali Taluk                                                         |                              515 |                         86.54 | Completed date: 07.08.2000 |
|        2 | Construction of Rubble Mound Sea wall at Tharangambadi village in Tharangambadi Taluk                                       |                              300 |                        305    | Completed date: 10.11.2007 |
|        3 | Construction of Rubble Mound Sea wall at Poompuhar in Sirkali Taluk                                                         |                              100 |                        178    | Completed date: 20.11.2007 |
|        4 | Construction of RMS Wall at Palayar Village to a length of 1000 M(+3.25 m)                                                  |                             1000 |                        596.5  | Completed date: 23.03.2013 |
|        5 | Construction of Spurs at Thirumullaivasal Village in Sirkazhi Taluk to a length of 100M upto +4.50M                         |                             1000 |                        546    | Completed date: 14.02.2014 |
|        6 | Construction of Rubble Mound Sea wall for a length of 500 Mand Construction of Groynes at Vanagirikuppam of Sirkali 7 Taluk |                              500 |                       1697    | Completed date: 24.07.2014 |
|        7 | Construction of Rubble Mound Sea wall for a length of 950 mand Construction of Groynes at Vanagirikuppam of Sirkali Taluk   |                              950 |                       1698    | Completed date: 24.07.2014 |

With respect to the loss of agricultural lands due to sea water ingress, the Government of Tamil Nadu is implementing tail end regulators across the distributaries of Cauvery River flowing in the delta Districts of Mayiladuthurai and Nagapattinam. The details are as follows:

|   Sl. No. | Name of River       | Village         | Existing / Proposed   | Distance from sea mouth   |
|-----------|---------------------|-----------------|-----------------------|---------------------------|
|         1 | Coleroon river      | Alakudy         | Proposed              | 8.0 km                    |
|         2 | Kittiayani Uppanar  | Pudupattinam    | Existing              | 3.0 km                    |
|         3 | Mudavanar drain     | Vettangudi      | Existing              | 1.2 km                    |
|         4 | Vellapallam Uppanar | Thirunagiri     | Under Construction    | 4.2 km                    |
|         5 | Nattu kanni maniyar | Thennampattinam | Existing              | 2.8 km                    |
|         6 | Mulliyar Vadigal    | Thennampattinam | Proposed              | 2.9 km                    |
|         7 | Sellanaru River     | Perunthottam    | Proposed              | 0.5 km                    |
|         8 | Cauvery             | Dharmakulam     | Existing              | 1.8 km                    |
|         9 | Sevaganar drain     | Marudhampallam  | Proposed              | 1.6 km                    |
|        10 | Manjalar            | Kalamanallur    | Existing              | 4.5 km                    |
|        11 | Mahimalaiyar        | Tharangampadi   | Under Construction    | 1.0 km                    |
|        12 | Nandalar            | Chandarapadi    | Proposed              | 2.6 km                    |

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