ESZ norms | UDF hartal in Wayanad and Idukki

Representational image
Representational image. File Photo.

Kalpatta/Thodupuzha: Demanding the State and Central government to act against the Supreme Court directive regarding the ecologically sensitive zones (ESZs) buffer areas, UDF has called for a hartal in Wayanad and Idukki on Thursday. The high-range areas of Malappuram is also observing hartal today, from 6 am to 6 pm.

Following the unrest in Idukki in the past few days, the police have ensured tight security in the area. In Malappuram, the hartal will be in Nilambur municipality, Karuvarakundu, Kalikkavu, Chokkad, Karulayi, Moothedam, Vazhikkadavu, Pothukal, Chaliyar, Mampad, Edavanna and in Urangattiri panchayat.

The State Government has already decided to file a review/amendment petition on July 12 with regard to the recent Supreme Court order mandating 1 km ecologically sensitive zones (ESZs) around national parks and wildlife sanctuaries.

The decision was taken at the high-level meeting called by Forest Minister A K Saseendran to discuss the follow-up action to ensure the exclusion of residential areas from ESZs.

The minister had said earlier that there was no change in the State Government's earlier stand that the ESZs should be fixed only after excluding the populated areas.

The State Government aims to get relaxation from the strict implementation of the new ESZ norms by submitting a new proposal to the Union Ministry of the Environment and Forest, and the Central Empowered Committee by excluding populated areas as per the paragraph 44(f) of the Supreme Court order.

Necessary amendments will also be made in the list of ESZs submitted to the Central Government earlier by the State Government.

The comments posted here/below/in the given space are not on behalf of Onmanorama. The person posting the comment will be in sole ownership of its responsibility. According to the central government's IT rules, obscene or offensive statement made against a person, religion, community or nation is a punishable offense, and legal action would be taken against people who indulge in such activities.