W Ghats: Kerala urges PM to relax ESA rule

Kerala today conveyed to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh its apprehensions over the K Kasturirangan Committee report on Western Ghats conservation and asked the Centre to correct flaws in identification of Ecologically Sensitive Areas through remote sensing method.

This was the highlight of a 12-point memorandum submitted to Singh by the UDF Government after a special cabinet meeting held here in honour of him.

The state wanted ecologically sensitive areas ESAs to be identified based on physical verification and actual habitation and agricultural areas to be deleted from ESA.

The state also sought Prime Minister's intervention for granting sufficient time for implementing the Direct Benefit Transfer scheme for domestic LPG customers and relaxation in the norms to ensure that orphanages and other similar institutions get the subsidised supply of LPG.

The state sought intervention of Prime Minister to expedite the work on the rail coach factory in Palakkad, which was delayed after it was announced and acquisition of land by the state.

The state also wanted relaxation in cabotage law for the proposed Vizhinjam Deep Sea port for which environmental clearance was given the other day.

Other demands of the state includes, clearance for Angamali-Sabari Rail as a project of the railways without insisting on the state to bear part of the cost.

The state sought approval for the outer harbour project of the Cochin Port, clearance for suburban rail services, Nilambur-Nanjangud line and Central take over of Jawaharlal Nehru Tropical Garden and Research Institute.

The state also sought special financial assistance for extending compensation to the victims of the serious ill-effects of spraying of endosulfan in a plantation in Kasargode in north Kerala.

Other demands include allocation of natural gas to the state and Central support to promote start-up ventures.