KOZHIKODE: As the final notification of the Kasturi Rangan report is due in five weeks, the Paschima Ghatta Jana Samrakshana Samiti has urged politicians and the State government to press the Centre to take care of the Western Ghat inhabitants’ interests.
Chacko Kalapparambil, general convenor of the samiti, pointed out that the deadline for the final notification of the Kasturi Rangan report on conservation of the Ghats needed to be issued by March 4.
He noted that the report had identified 123 villages in Kerala’s side of the Western Ghats as ecologically sensitive areas (ESA). However, unlike villages in other States that have been included in the ESA notification, the ESA villages in Kerala are all highly populated. Of the 4,156 ESA villages with a total population of 60 lakh in the six Western Ghats States, the 123 villages in Kerala are home to half the population. Because of the high density of population, the impact of the ESA notification on Kerala villages is extremely deep.
Mr. Kalapparambil noted that the State government, in a letter to the Environment Ministry in October 2015, had demanded that the ESA demarcation be restricted to three categories — reserved forests, protected areas and world heritage sites. He wanted Kerala politicians and the government to stick to this stand and save the interests of the people inhabiting the 123 villages.
“The government should act swiftly to ensure that only three categories are included in the ESA list,” Mr. Kalapparambil told The Hindu . “Once the final Kasturi Rangan notification is issued, all protests will be in vain.”
