The Left Democratic Front (LDF) has called a hartal on June 14 in five panchayats in Kannur demanding the Centre’s intervention to address concerns raised in the wake of the Supreme Court order to mark 1-km eco-senstive zone (ESZ) from the boundaries of wildlife sanctuaries and national parks.
The decision to observe the hartal was taken at the LDF district committee meeting held on Friday.
District committee convenor K.V. Sahadevan in a press release said the hartal would be observed in Kottiyoor, Kelakam, Kanichar, Aralam, and Ayyankunnu in the district from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. A public meeting will be held on June 11 at Keezhpally and on June 13 at Kelakam.
He said human settlements near wildlife sanctuaries should be excluded from ESZ. “Kerala is a densely populated state. The Central government should take into account the features of the State. We need to protect the forest, wildlife sanctuaries, and environment as well as the people and agriculture,” he said.
Mr. Sahadevan said the State was united on the issue.
CPI(M) district secretary M.V. Jayarajan presided over the meeting.
