The Tamil Nadu government has selected Rajapalayam in Virudhunagar district and the pilgrimage town of Rameswaram to be made ‘carbon-neutral hubs’, Minister for Environmental and Climate Change Siva V. Meyyanathan has said.
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“Rajapalayam is strategically situated at the foothills of the pristine Western Ghats, with reserved forests, and is also part of an important catchment for the upper Vaippar river basin. On the other hand, Rameswaram, a spiritual destination, attracts thousands of tourists every day. Based on these aspects, the two municipalities have been chosen to become ‘carbon-neutral hubs’,” the Minister said on Thursday.
To achieve carbon-neutrality, the government has planned to take steps such as establishing bio-CNG plants for wet waste processing, promoting a low-emission lifestyle through land use planning, removal of accumulated waste through biomining, and increasing low-emission transport systems.
Focus will also be on increasing the carbon sink through afforestation and establishing material recovery facilities to reduce ocean-bound plastic, Mr. Meyyanathan said.
As a pilot project, the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) has initiated work to make Chennai’s Koyambedu market, one of Asia’s largest market complexes, carbon-neutral at a cost of ₹25 crore. A detailed project report by the Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT-M) is ready, according to officials. The project will involve strict implementation of the single-use plastic ban and taking stock of greenhouse gas emissions in the market complex.