The Tamil Nadu government on Monday issued an order to set up a biodiversity museum and an eco park at Kalakad — Mudanthurai Tiger Reserve (KTMR) in Ambasamudram, Tirunelveli.
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The order follows an announcement made by Chief Minister M.K. Stalin in September 2022 that a biodiversity eco park would be set up at a cost of ₹7 crore near Manimuthur dam to promote tourism activities.
The biodiversity museum and the eco park would be set up to promote ecotourism, create awareness of the unique biodiversity of the region and generate livelihood opportunities for local people by involving them in ecotourism initiatives, as per the government order issued by Supriya Sahu, Additional Chief Secretary, Department of Environment, Climate Change and Forests.
The KTMR, which was part of Agasthyamalai Elephant Reserve, was the first tiger reserve in Tamil Nadu and was home to more than 2,000 species of plants, including 250 endemic ones. The tiger reserve was also referred to as a “river sanctuary” as 14 rivers originated from the landscape, a press release said.
“The proposed conservation centre shall be a landmark in the conservation journey of Agasthiyamalai Elephant Reserve and Kalakad — Mudanthurai Tiger Reserve,” the release added.