Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. K. Stalin laid the foundation stone for the Semmozhi Poonga project in Coimbatore on Monday, December 18, 2023. The park, which is set to be constructed at the Gandhipuram Prison grounds, will sit atop 165 acres of land and is estimated to cost ₹172.21 crore.
The idea of the park was first proposed during the World Tamil Literature Conference in 2010 by former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi. The park aims to showcase the richness of India’s flora, encourage sustainable plant use and contribute to the conservation of rare plant species in the Nilgiris Biosphere Reserve. This park will be the first of its kind in a tropical country like India, Mr. Stalin said.
