The State Cabinet which met here on Wednesday has decided to seek the exclusion of non-forest areas from the land notified as Ecologically Sensitive Area (ESA) in the State.
The meeting decided to request the Central government to notify 9,107 sq km as ESA, a reduction of 886.7 sq km from the extent mentioned in the draft notification issued by the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change.
According to the draft notification issued in September 2015, the ESAs in the State cover 9,993.7 sq km in 123 villages, of which 9,107 sq km is notified as forest and 886.7 sq km as non-forest.
Earlier, the High Level Working Group (HLWG) led by K. Kasturirangan had earmarked 13,108 sq km across the 123 villages as ESA. Following widespread protests and political turmoil, the State government had proposed the exclusion of 3,117 sq km of human settlements and agricultural land from ESAs.
The Cabinet gave in principle approval for the establishment of an International Ayurveda Research Institute in Kannur during the 15th Five Year Plan. The project cost of ₹300 crore is to be to be shared by the State and Central governments.
The meeting decided to strengthen the Design and Investigation and Quality Control divisions in the Public Works Department and open two regional design offices in Ernakulam and Kozhikode, as well as a regional investigation and quality control laboratory in Thiruvananthapuram.
The Kerala Blood Bank Society, a joint initiative of the Health Department and the Thiruvananthapuram Citizens India Foundation Charitable Trust, was given administrative sanction.
The one-time settlement scheme for clearance of excise dues has been extended to March 31.
The Cabinet also accorded administrative sanction for the construction of drainage lines, feeder roads and land acquisition for lighting the Kannur airport project. The works would be awarded to the Ooralungal Labour Contract Society on the agreement that it would be completed before monsoon.
