The inaugural programme of WASCA-II, Tamil Nadu was held on July 19 in Chennai. Mr Krishan Tyagi and Mr Stephen Dohm from GIZ-India, New Delhi, made the opening remarks followed by a special address by Mr Ponniah, IAS., Director, Department of Rural Development & Panchayat Raj (RD & PR). He requested all the line departments to cooperate and work along with the WASCA-II team to achieve a successful climate adaptation strategy at the gram panchayat level. Mr Deepak S. Bilgi, IFS Director, Department of Environment and Climate Change, Government of Tamil Nadu, pointed out the need for climate change mitigation and adaptation programmes in the keynote address. He also spoke of how the government should identify vulnerable rural areas and focus on building climate resilience. Principal Secretary, Dr P Senthil Kumar, Department of RD & PR, Government of Tamil Nadu, delivered the inaugural address.

A technical session chaired by the Director, Dept. of RD & PR with Tmt. V Deepanavisvesvari, IAS., Additional Collector (Development), Dharmapuri, Tmt Chitra Vijayan, IAS., Additional Collector (Development), Villupuram, Thiru A Kuttalingam, Chief Engineer, Dept of RD & PR, and Dr R Rengalakshmi, Director – Ecotechnology, MSSRF was held. Gram Panchayat presidents of Ramanathapuram and Tiruvannamalai shared their experiences from the WASCA-I. Thiru S S Kumar, ADRD, MGNREGA, Dept of RD & PR delivered the vote of thanks.

Earlier this month, the project was inaugurated in Villupuram District on July 3 and in Dharmapuri District on July 5 in the presence of district collectors, head and second-level officers of the various departments, Dr Radhapriya, GIZ, Dr R Rengalakshmi, Director – Ecotechnology, MSSRF and Mr Nagaraj, Head-GIS, MSSRF.