Buffer zone: Congress warns of agitation if public concerns not addressed

Congress has threatened a public agitation if Kerala govt does not take steps to address public concerns related to SC order to maintain a 1 km buffer zone around protected forests across the country

The Congress on Saturday threatened to lead a public agitation if the Left government in Kerala does not take immediate steps to address concerns of the farmers and common people who would be affected by the Supreme Court order to maintain a one kilometre buffer zone around protected forests and wildlife sanctuaries across the country.

Not just the Congress, but locals in various villages of Pathanamthitta, Kottayam, Idukki and Kozhikode districts of the state said they would be protesting against the inclusion of habited, commercial and agricultural areas in the buffer zone in a recent report compiled by an expert committee appointed by the state government.

The Kerala Catholic Bishops' Council (KCBC) too came out against the expert committee report and said that urgent intervention by the state government was required to address the concerns of the public.

It suggested, in a statement, that the areas of protected forests or wildlife sanctuaries be decreased by one kilometre to address the fears of the public, including farmers and business owners, living and working around forest regions.

Even Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) chief K Sudhakaran was of a similar view when he said, in a statement, that it would be desirable to redefine the ecologically sensitive zone (ESZ) within the forest itself.

He alleged that the government and the LDF were misleading the public, especially those in the high range areas of the state, as they were actually in favour of having a buffer zone.

Sudhakaran said if the government was not ready to address the concerns of the people, the Congress will lead a public agitation on the issue.

He also termed as incomplete and incorrect the satellite survey report prepared by the Kerala Remote Sensing and Environment Centre.

Similar concerns were aired by locals in various districts of the state.

Speaking to the media, people from Pathanamthitta, Kottayam, Idukki and Kozhikode said that many well-populated areas were incorrectly included in the buffer zone during the satellite survey and the expert committee has not given sufficient time for them to raise objections.

This was also one of the contentions of the KCBC which said that the time given till December 23 to raise objections against the report of December 11 was impractical.

Meanwhile, state Forest Minister A K Saseendran said that changes can be made to the buffer zone order by the Supreme Court only and for that everyone needs to work together instead of making threats of protests and agitations.

On Friday, the minister had said that the Kerala government has taken a stand made known in the state assembly and before the Supreme Court and the Centre that only a buffer zone which excludes populated areas is acceptable and there will be no change in this position.

The minister had also said that an aerial survey was carried out in order to show the apex court that its directions for a comprehensive survey of forest areas was followed by the state.

The apex court in June this year directed that a buffer zone of one kilometre be maintained around forests and sanctuaries across the country.

Against this, both the Centre and the Kerala government have moved review pleas in the apex court.