K G Mohanan Pillai, director of the Kerala Forest Information Bureau, said an expert committee, headed by noted environmentalist S Tahir Qadri, had held elaborate discussions with the forest department and other senior government officials on the matter. The ADB has agreed to provide funds subject to certain conditions. Any kind of funding would be based on a combination of programmes such as poverty alleviation, biodiversity conservation and the participation of the coastal population as stakeholders.

ADB would provide initial funds worth Rs 1.5 million to undertake a detailed and scientific study to finalise a project report. Officials from the Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute, Kochi, Central Water Development Agency, Kozhikode, state Forest Department and some universities would be asked to prepare the report. "The exact location of the park would be decided once the study team finalises the proposal to be submitted to the ADB," said Pillai.

The ADB is going ahead with its plans of similar parks in 11 Asian countries. Right now there are only two marine parks in India - one each in Gujarat and Tamil Nadu.

-- (India Abroad News Service)