THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In an apparent bid to pacify the agitating farmers’ organisations and the Kerala Catholic Bishops’ Council (KCBC), the state government has decided in principle to extend the deadline to file complaints over the satellite survey on buffer zones around forest land by two months. The decision is likely to be announced after a high-level meeting convened by the Chief Minister on Tuesday.
Earlier, the government had declared December 23 as the last day to file the complaints. Extension of the deadline is one of the major demands of the agitators.
The expert committee headed by Justice Thottathil B Radhakrishnan has also agreed to extending the deadline.“Completing the field survey of inhabited areas by identifying constructions will take time. A field survey will provide the actual data of inhabitation and constructions. We have already started the work. This will make it easier for the government to present its arguments before the SC,” a committee member told TNIE.
The SC had made it clear that no new permanent structure shall be permitted to come up within the eco-sensitive zones (ESZs). The public fears that once ESZs are demarcated, no structure irrespective of houses, workshops or barns will be allowed to be built in those areas.
However, Forest Minister A K Saseendran told TNIE that the government’s position is that inhabited areas should not be declared ESZ.
Once the field survey is completed, the government can easily prove it in front of the SC. Revenue, forest and local self government officials will attend the high-level meeting that will discuss the progress of the field survey and other issues including the protests. The government doesn’t want it to become a law and order issue.
STATE BOUND TO SUBMIT REPORT
Kochi: The government is bound to submit the satellite survey report on buffer zones before the SC when the case comes up for hearing on January 11, sources at the forest minister’s office said. “At the hearing, we will seek time to submit a physical report as the satellite survey is not accurate.”