KOCHI: With the Ministry of Environment and Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) extending the validity of the draft notification on Kasturirangan report, farmers living in forest fringe areas have sought the intervention of the state government to exclude non-core areas from the Ecologically Sensitive Areas.
The draft notification has been extended for the fifth time as various states have raised concern about the recommendations.
Meanwhile, the Chief Minister’s Office is learnt to be looking into the complaints raised by the farmers.
“We have six months’ time and will try to address the issued raised by farmers,” said an officer. Complaints have been raised about the inclusion of human habitations in Kannur, Wayanad, Thrissur and Ernakulam districts.
“The inclusion of human habitations will bring restrictions on land transactions and farming activities. There will be restrictions on setting up poultry farms and cutting trees. The determination of geo coordinates has been erroneous and we want the government to mark the geo coordinates on ground and convince the farmers.
The government should hold consultations with stake holders,” said Kerala Independent Farmers’ Association chairman Alex Ozhukayil.