Medicinal Plants Conservation and Demonstration Centre inaugurated
Tamil Nadu Government would soon erect solar fencing along 500-km forest boundaries across the state to prevent straying of animals, particularly elephants and destroy of crops, Forest Minister, N Selvaraj has said.Announcing this at a function got up to inaugurate a Medicinal Plants Conservation and Demonstration Centre, at Marudhamalai, on the outskirts last evening, Selvaraj said that there were complaints of frequent animal straying, leading to loss of crops, especially sugarcane, maize and bananas.He also inspected the solar electric fence installed at Velliangiri foothills, about 30 KMs from here.He said that about 1000 farmers had been provided with compensation worth Rs 99 lakh for damages caused to their crops like sugarcane and maize, by elephants across the state.The Centre has been set up in one-acre land with an outlay of Rs 22,000 having 90 medicinal plant species, Conservator of Forests, R Kannan said.Set up with the help of tribals, the centre would be handed over to the village forest committee for maintenance, he said.Saying that proceeds from the Centre would be spent for the village development, Kannan said that women in the commitee would be trained in raising medicinal plants.
