Even as works at the upcoming Tropical Butterfly Conservatory at Srirangam are apace, the government has sanctioned additional funds for the ongoing project.
The Department of Environment and Forests recently issued an order granting Rs. 78.8 lakh for the conservatory established, on 25 acres in the Upper Anicut reserve forest, sandwitched between the Cauvery and the Coleroon.
The additional funds were provided on a detailed proposal sent by the Forest Department officials seeking Rs. 4.15 crore to carry out a host of works inside the conservatory.
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The works to be taken up with the recent fund allocation would be decided by top officials of the department, sources said.
With Rs. 7.67 crore sanctioned for the project, a slew of works were completed including construction of a a rest room, ticket counter, breeding laboratory for non-scheduled butterflies, a boundary wall, façade improvement, establishment of an outdoor conservatory, passive humidifier, ponds, active humidifier, floral and nectar patches and walk ways, says an official.
The Public Works Department has been entrusted with the work of setting up an indoor conservatory which is under way at a cost of Rs.1.55 crore.
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The indoor conservatory will house non-scheduled butterflies of different species.
Planting of different tree / plant species corresponding to the 27 stars of the Hindu almanac and 12 zodiac signs were over in the ‘Nakshatra vanam’ inside the conservatory. Minor works were apace in the “Nakshatra Vanam” area. Officials hope that the conservatory would be thrown open to the public in the financial year 2015-16.
The conservatory is being established to foster in-situ and ex-situ conservation of butterfly species and create awareness of the role of butterflies in maintaining the ecological equilibrium among people.
The works to be taken up with the recent fund allocation would be decided by top officials of the department