Chennai, Apr 30 (IANS): Tamil Nadu Minister for Environment and Climate Change, Siva V. Meyyanathan has said that Coimbatore will be a carbon neutral district of the state by 2050.

While addressing a seminar - "Carbon Neutral Coimbatore", the minister said that Coimbatore was the first district to be part of this initiative in Tamil Nadu.

The minister said that to reduce carbon emissions, it was necessary to have more electric vehicles, plant saplings in open spaces, increase forest cover, protect water bodies in the city and also encourage industries to reduce emissions.

The minister said that these efforts would be taken up in Coimbatore.

He added that the district collector would be the mission director for the project.

Siva Meyyanathan said that 10 lakh saplings were planted in Coimbatore last year under this initiative, adding more species of native saplings would be planted this year.

He said that action was being taken through the National Green Tribunal for relocating the brick kilns in the area and added that coir industries in the area must set up treatment plants and recycle water.

The Minister opened a 'Meendum Manjapi'( yellow cloth bag) ATM and added that around 10 such ATMs will be installed in the city to promote clothes bags among the youth