Coimbatore will be a carbon neutral district by 2050, said Minister for Environment and Climate Change Siva V. Meyyanathan on Saturday.
Speaking at a workshop here on ‘Carbon Neutral Coimbatore’, he said Coimbatore is the first district to be part of this initiative in the State. Electricity, transport, and industries are three major sources of carbon emissions worldwide. To reduce carbon emissions, it is necessary to have more electric vehicles, plant saplings in open spaces, increase forest cover, protect the water bodies in the city and encourage industries to reduce emissions.
These efforts will be taken up in Coimbatore and the District Collector is the mission director for the project, the Minister said.
He said Coimbatore district has 3344 industries and 794 of them are green industries. As many as 584 in the red category should plant at least 100 saplings each. Rameswaram and Rajapalayam are two municipalities identified to be carbon neutral areas.
Similarly, carbon emissions will be studied at the protected agri zone, covering Tiruvarur, Nagapattinam, Pudukottai, Mayiladuthurai, etc.
Mr. Meyyanathan told presspersons later that about 10 lakh saplings were planted in the district last year to increase the green cover, and more saplings of native species will be planted this year.
On the polluting industries, he said that coir units in the district should set up treatment plants and recycle water. In the case of brick kilns located in HACA areas, action was taken through the National Green Tribunal.
Climate change glossary released
The Minister also released a climate change glossary and opened a meendum manjapai (yellow cloth bag) ATM. Around 10 such ATMs will be installed in the city and key areas in the district, to promote the use of cloth bags, he said.
Focus areas of the carbon zero initiative will include sustainable agriculture, enhanced energy efficiency, eco-friendly technologies, and sustainable habitats.
Supriya Sahu, Additional Chief Secretary of the Department of Environment, Climate Change, and Forest, said a green house gas inventory for the district will be prepared in four months and a climate committee will be constituted, including officials and change makers.
Source: PTI
