Tamil Nadu gets 17 more Village Green Forests (Maragatha Pooncholais)
The scheme
for creation of Maragatha Pooncholai (Village woodlots) in 100 Villages was
announced by the Government in 2022-23 in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly.
This scheme was conceptualised with the objective of reducing the dependency of
local communities on forest by meeting the local requirement of timber, fuelwood
and fodder etc, to involve local community in improving the green cover and to
provide alternate source of income to them. Government had issued an
administrative sanction of Rs.25 crore for the same vide G.O (Ms) No.146,
Environment Climate Change and Forest Department, dated: 24.08.2022. Maragatha
Pooncholai can play a vital role in providing natural resources to the local
community in their vicinity while reducing biotic pressure on forest areas. It
is a unique initiative of the State Government and is serving as a recreation
place for villagers and a place to ensure water and climate security for the
villages in future. The state government has already sanctioned 83 Maragatha
Pooncholais under Phase-1 and Phase-2 of the project.
As of now, 75 Maragatha
Pooncholais have been setup across 29 districts in Tamil Nadu. Further, works
are nearing completion in 8 Maragatha Pooncholais. Each Maragatha Pooncholai has
been created over an area of 1 hectare with facilities such as fencing, gate
with entrance arch, visitors shed, walking pathways, borewell, park benches and
other basic amenities. Native species. trees which will provide timber, fuel
wood, fruits and fodder have been planted in all the Maragatha Pooncholais.
Naval, Nelli, Neermaruthu, Badam, Puli, Vilvam, Guava, Red sander, Jack fruit,
Mahilam, Punnai, Mango, Neem are major species planted. In continuation of the
above efforts, the state Government has now issued orders for establishing 17
new Maragatha Pooncholais, in 5 districts, at an outlay of Rs. 425 lakhs. These
new wood lots will be created in Dindigul (5), Perambalur (4), Kallakurichi (3),
Tirupattur (3) and Tiruvannamalai (2) Districts with this Government of Tamil
Nadu will have a total of 100 Maragatha Pooncholais. Additional Chief Secretary
to Government Environment Climate Change and Forest Department
