Political climate in favour of UDF: Chandy

Buoyant over Centre issuing draft notification addressing state concern on Kasturirangan report and RSP joining the ruling UDF, Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy today said political climate in the state was in favour of Congress.
"The UDF government was not worried over its thin majority so far. So, I do not feel anything special or happy with two RSP MLAa's moving to ruling fold," Chandy told reporters here.
UDF's strength in the assembly has gone up to 75 with the entry of RSP in its side in the 140 member assembly.
Stating that Centre fully recognised the state's position on Kasturiragnan report, he said, the notification excluded 123 villages from the Ecologically Sensitive Area (ESA) list, one of the main demand of the state.

"In the Draft Notification, around 3,115 sq km from 123 villages, earlier notified as ESA in the Kasturirangan report, have been exempted," he said, adding these were human habitation areas, plantations and farm lands.
As per the latest notification the ESA identified for the whole of Western Ghats has come down to 56,825 sq km from 59,940 sq km as a result of excluding 3115 sq km from Kerala, he said.

"This Government took all possible steps in a time bound manner to get relaxation on the Kasturirangan report and it is a big blow to LDF who tried to reap political mileage out of it," Chandy said.

The final notification would come into effect after two months after taking into account the complaints of the public, if any.
The Kerala State Bio-diversity Board has been entrusted with the implementation of new measures, Chandy said.