Just when the issue of Western Ghats in Kerala threatened to snowball further at the critical juncture of forthcoming elections, the Environment Ministry on Tuesday accepted the recommendations of the Kerala Government. Accordingly, it will keep agricultural land, plantations and habitations out of Ecologically Sensitive Areas (ESA)s, identified by High level Working Group (HlWG) on Western Ghats.
The Government of Kerala had earlier constituted an Expert Committee to study the impact of HlWG recommendations and to assess ground level information. The State Government also set up Panchayat level Committees in 123 villages falling within ESAs as identified by HlWG for undertaking field verification and interaction with the stakeholders.
Based on the recommendations of the Expert Committee report, the Kerala State Government had suggested certain changes in the demarcations and boundaries of ESAs within the State. The State Government had argued that agricultural lands, plantations and habitations may be kept out of the ESAs. The sources said that after examination of recommendations of the State Government by the MoEF and it has been decided to accept these recommendations in respect to Kerala, regarding ESA boundaries. The draft Notification is being issued by the Ministry incorporating the said modifications.
The sources in the Ministry further said that would consider similar proposals of other States in Western Ghats region if forwarded within 60 days of issuance of the draft Notification.