The LDF Wayanad district committee has called a dawn-to-dusk hartal in Wayanad district on Saturday to protest against the Union Government’s refusal to set a time limit for issuing fresh notification for the implementation of the Kasturirangan report on Western Ghats.
Essential services such as milk supply, hospital services and vehicles carrying students and pilgrims would remain exempt from the hartal, LDF district committee convener K V Mohanan said here on Friday.
“The LDF has called the hartal to protest against the anti-people policies of both the state and Central Governments. The Central Government has adopted a passive approach in addressing the concerns of the people living in the hilly areas of the state. The implementation of the Kasturirangan report will have an adverse impact on thousands of small and marginal farmers living in these villages for generations,” he said. The Kasturirangan panel, constituted by the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests to examine the report of the Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel (WGEEP), headed by environmentalist Madhav Gadgil, had recommended the inclusion of 13 villages in the district in the ecologically-sensitive zone category.
Periya, Thirunelly, Thrissilery, Thondarnadu (Mananthavady taluk), Kidanganadu, Noolpuzha (Sulthan Bathery taluk), Thariode, Achooranam, Pozhuthana, Kottapadi, Chundale, Kunnathidavaka and Vellarimala (Vythiri taluk) were the villages in Wayanad that were proposed to be declared as eco-sensitive areas.
The hartal was also called to express the LDF’s solidarity with the protesting pre-primary teachers working in government, aided schools, the LDF convener said.
Around 40 pre-primary teachers in the district are on indefinite fast in front of the district collectorate since February 24, protesting against the non-payment of salaries.
Dawn-to-dusk Hartal
The LDF will observe a dawn-to-dusk hartal in Idukki district on Saturday in protest against the attempts by the state and the Central Governments to mislead people by giving false promises on the Kasturirangan report.
The Congress-led Governments at the State and the Centre are keeping people in the dark in view of the impending elections, LDF Idukki district convener Krishnankutty said. All the essential services have been exempted from the hartal, he said.