Climate change fund: NSCCC approves 4 projects

New Delhi: The National Steering Committee on Climate Change (NSCCC) under the Environment Ministry today approved four projects including management and rehabilitation of coastal habitats for climate change adaptation in the Gulf of Mannar in Tamil Nadu. The NSCCC approved four projects from Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Punjab and considered one project submitted by Madhya Pradesh at its eighth meeting held here, an official statement said.

The meeting was held to consider Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) submitted by Tamil Nadu and Kerala for funding under the National Adaptation Fund on Climate Change (NAFCC). The meeting was also convened for demonstration projects submitted by Madhya Pradesh, Punjab and Tamil Nadu under the Climate Change Action Programme (CCAP).

The statement said that the project, titled 'Management and Rehabilitation of Coastal Habitats and Biodiversity for Climate Change Adaptation and Sustainable Livelihood in the Gulf of Mannar in Tamil Nadu', was submitted by the Tamil Nadu government. The total cost of the project will be Rs 24.74 crore and will cover 23 coastal villages of Tuticorin district.

The four-year project has five broad objectives - conduct baseline vulnerability studies, coral rehabilitation, sea grass rehabilitation, deployment of 6,000 Artificial Reef (AR) modules, and eco-development activities in the project villages. "The project will help in developing the much needed comprehensive plan or scheme for coral and sea grass restoration.

It will augment the database on coral ecosystem, species diversity, fish catch and effort, anthropogenic pressure and migration and survival rate. The project activities will lead to economic empowerment of 15 SHGs per village and benefit about 6,900 women," the statement said. The Environment Ministry said that the project will create a platform for knowledge development through regular meeting amongst departments like fisheries, forest and others and facilitate planning of roadmap for future conservation efforts.