KOCHI: With the validity of the fourth draft notification on determination of eco sensitive areas (ESA) of the Western Ghats set to expire on Friday, tension prevails in the high ranges as declaration of 1,337.24 sq km of forest fringe areas as non-core area (ecologically sensitive areas outside the forest) would adversely affect thousands of farmers.
It is learnt that the Centre is planning to issue the final notification accepting the PH Kurian Committee report which has recommended inclusion of 8,656.4 sq km of area, including 92 villages, as eco sensitive zone of Western Ghats. Farmers said the ESA of Aralam forest extends up to Kanichar town, located 1.5km away from the forest border. Adakkathodu and Kelakam town in Kannur also fall under the ESA. In Wayanad, Meppadi town has been included.
On Wednesday, residents of Kuttampuzha panchayat in Ernakulam district observed a hartal against the implementation of the report as half of the area of the panchayat has been included in the ESA. “The inclusion of human habitations in ESA will bring restrictions on land transactions and farming. The ESA should be restricted to forest areas,” demanded Francis Antony, a farmer. Finance Minister K N Balagopal had met Minister for Environment and Forest Bhupender Yadav on December 4, urging to demarcate the eco sensitive areas after excluding human habitations on forest fringes. When contacted, the CM’s Office said steps are being taken to alleviate the fears of the farmers.
Kerala Catholic Bishops’ Council (KCBC) president Cardinal Mar George Alencherry wrote to Yadav urging him to extend the final notification on implementation of Kasturirangan report and give state time to redraw the geo coordinates. The Kasturirangan Committee, in its report submitted in 2013, had recommended inclusion of 123 villages in the ESAs of Western Ghats, triggering resentment. Following this, Kerala constituted the Oommen V Oommen committee to review the recommendations as Kasturirangan had not conducted physical verification.
The Oommen panel had demarcated 9,107 sq km as forest ESA and 886.7 sq km as non-core ESA. There was not much protest against the recommendations and the Centre had issued a draft notification in 2014 based on the report.
However, the state in 2018 engaged P H Kurian Committee to study the recommendations which reduced the non-core area villages to 92 from 123. The committee removed 1,197 sq km of forest ESA and recommended declaration of 8.656 sq km as ESA. However, farmers allege that more human habitations were included in the ESA.
“While the Oommen panel demarcated the ESA based on 187 geo coordinates, the P H Kurian committee used only 150 geo coordinates of which 42 are in Tamil Nadu,” alleged Kerala Independent Farmers Association chairman Alex Ozhukayil.
“The government should declare the ESA based on the Oommen panel report and restrict ESA to forest areas. Attempt to declare human habitations as ESA should be dropped and the government should convince the farmers by marking the geo coordinates on the ground,” he said.
Cardinal’s request
Kerala Catholic Bishops’ Council president Cardinal Mar George Alencherry wrote to Union Minister Bhupender Yadav urging him to extend the final notification on implementation of Kasturirangan report and give state time to redraw the geo coordinates.