THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Opposition Leader Ramesh Chennithala has said the Union Ministry of Environment releasing 3,115 sq km area of land from the ecologically sensitive area mentioned in the Kasturirangan report is the culmination of efforts conducted by the previous UDF Government.
The anxiety of the people of the hilly areas is now completely removed and the promise given by the UDF to the people has now been met. The LDF which garnered votes stating the UDF position was an eyewash, should now apologise before the people.
The Union ministry has made a draft proposal fully agreeing with the UDF demand that 3,115 sq km should be removed from the 13,108 sq km found ecologically fragile by the Kasturirangan report in 2014.
The UDF Government had presented the practical difficulties in implementing the Kasturirangan report before the Union Environmental Ministry after conducting a detailed study by the Oommen V Oommen committee.