The Government would install infra red cameras in 20 spots at the Arignar Anna Zoological Park in Vandalur, Chennai so that people could watch the animals 24×7 from their homes using the online portal that would be made available soon.

“The Government is planning to install infra red cameras in the 20 animal enclosures at the zoo at a cost of Rs. 50 lakhs so that broadcasting the activities of the animals becomes easy,” Chief Minister Jayalalithaa said, while reading out a statement under Rule 110. “It will also help the zoo officials monitor the animals and their behaviour,” she added.

The Government would also set up an eight hectare tree park at the Vandalur-Kelambakkam Road in Chennai, where 300 varieties of trees from the Western and Eastern Ghats would be grown. The park would be established at a cost of Rs. 2 crores.

Claiming that more than 230 species of the 5640 plant varieties of the State forests were on the verge of extinction, Jayalalithaa said a modern seed centre would also be set up at Tiruchi at a cost of Rs. 2 crores, where rare plants with medicinal values would be grown.

Lauding the efforts of the State Government in trying to preserve the flora of the forests, M. Prabhu, a Coimbatore-based conservationist said that the plan must be implemented at the earliest.

“There are many plants that are becoming extinct and we are not aware of it. Such efforts will not only help in conservation for also for research purposes. The scheme should be extended to all districts,” he added.