Thiruvananthapuram, Sep 1 Kerala is stepping up its efforts to ensure that homes, farms, and plantations remain outside the proposed Ecologically Sensitive Area (ESA) of the Western Ghats, with the state government preparing to make a fresh case before the Centre for a substantial reduction in the area currently proposed for protection.
Environment Minister Sunny Joseph on Tuesday said the government was fully committed to protecting the interests of people, particularly farmers, while ensuring that ecologically important areas remain protected.
The issue has its roots in the controversy that followed the Kasturirangan report, which had initially proposed 13,108 sq km covering 123 villages in Kerala as ESA.
The proposal triggered widespread protests, particularly over fears that the classification would affect inhabited areas and agricultural activity.
Kerala subsequently undertook a detailed study through the Oommen V. Oommen committee and submitted its recommendations to the Centre.
Following the state’s interventions, the proposed ESA was reduced to 9,993.7 sq km in the Centre’s March 2014 draft notification.
Of this, 9,107 sq km comprised forest and 886.7 sq km non-forest areas.
The state has since consistently maintained that inhabited areas, agricultural land, and plantations should be completely excluded.
Despite repeated draft notifications, however, the 9,993.7 sq km figure has continued to remain the benchmark.
Kerala later submitted a fresh proposal seeking to bring the ESA down further to 8,590.69 sq km covering 98 villages.
The Centre sought additional details, following which the state supplied spatial files and other information.
The latest draft notification, however, did not incorporate the changes sought by Kerala.
The government is now preparing another detailed submission seeking amendments to the latest draft and complete exclusion of inhabited areas, agricultural land, and plantations.
A departmental report has already been prepared proposing the exclusion of 33 villages in their entirety.
The issue has also moved to high-level discussions between Kerala and the Centre.
A team of senior central officials held discussions in the state, with Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan chairing a meeting attended by the ministers of Environment, Forest, Revenue and Agriculture, besides the Chief Secretary and senior officials.
Kerala argued that its geographical circumstances are fundamentally different from those of many other states as it has limited land, high population density and extensive human habitation alongside its forests.
The state also pointed out that it already has stringent environmental laws and regulations.
The government’s challenge, therefore, is to strike a balance between environmental protection and the livelihood and habitation concerns of a densely populated state.
For Kerala, the ESA debate is no longer simply about how much land should be protected.
It is about where the line should be drawn between protecting the Western Ghats and protecting the people who have lived and farmed on its slopes for generations.
The government has said it will continue negotiations with the Centre and seek a decision that safeguards both Kerala’s fragile ecology and the interests of its people.
