Green manifesto pitches Western Ghats governance council & relocation of people from elephant corridors

Kozhikode: As farmers' groups like the Kerala Independent Farmers Association (KIFA) ramp up pressure on both the Left Democratic Front (LDF) and the United Democratic Front (UDF) to adopt their agenda ahead of the Assembly elections, coordination of environmental organisations across Kerala have stepped in with their own demand — a "green manifesto."

The policy document aims to push political parties to place environmental conservation and sustainable development at the heart of the election campaign.

The ideas for the manifesto titled "From Forest to Sea" (Kadu Muthal Kadal Vare), which is described as a framework for political manifestos and ecological governance, were formulated based on recommendations and suggestions that emerged at the recently held Sahyadri Environmental Summit in Wayanad.

The charter, officially called Kerala's People's Environmental Charter, has emerged from a collective process involving environmental organisations, researchers and community representatives from across the state.

According to the document, Kerala's ecological systems are facing unprecedented stress. Environmental groups argue that these challenges require clear policy direction and long-term commitments rather than fragmented programmes or short-term responses. The document therefore attempts to place ecological sustainability at the centre of development planning in the state.

A key pillar of the charter is the call for a transition in agriculture. It proposes adopting agroecology as the long-term direction for agricultural policy, research and extension so that farming systems become ecologically safe, economically viable and resilient to climate variability. Environmental groups have also urged the government to fully implement and scale up the state's organic farming initiatives through cluster-based programmes that support farmers transitioning away from chemical-intensive agriculture.

The charter places particular emphasis on protecting the Western Ghats, which it describes as a critical ecological and geological system essential for Kerala's water security, biodiversity conservation and climate resilience. It calls for a time-bound identification and notification of Ecologically Sensitive Zones (ESZ) through transparent scientific mapping and public consultation. The document recommends publishing ESZ boundaries and mapping data for all protected areas and identifying “no-go” areas in high elevations and steep slopes where development should be restricted.

To guide ecological planning in the region, the charter proposes establishing a Western Ghats Ecological Governance Council.

Water governance is another major focus area. The charter recommends adopting river basin–based planning as the framework for managing Kerala's water systems. It proposes the creation of a Kerala River Basin and Water Systems Mission to coordinate actions across government departments, local bodies, scientific institutions and community organisations.

Industrial pollution, particularly along major river systems, is also addressed in the document. The charter calls for comprehensive environmental and health assessments of industrial pollution hotspots, especially the industrial belt of Eloor and Edayar along the Periyar River. It recommends strengthening real-time monitoring of industrial effluents, groundwater contamination and river pollution, with public access to monitoring data. Environmental groups have also proposed establishing a Clean Production and Zero Discharge Mission to transform the industrial estate in the area into a non-polluting industrial zone.

It proposes establishing a Kerala Coastal and Marine Resilience Mission to coordinate shoreline protection, climate adaptation measures, ecosystem restoration and disaster preparedness. The document also calls for setting up a Kerala Coastal Observatory to monitor shoreline changes, tidal flooding risks, marine pollution and coastal ecosystem health using open-access scientific data.

Mineral extraction and quarrying, another contentious issue in Kerala, are also addressed in the document. The charter calls for stronger public oversight through transparent permitting processes, strict compliance monitoring and real-time public disclosure of approvals and violations.

Tourism management is another area where the charter calls for reform. Environmental groups recommend establishing science-based carrying capacity limits for fragile destinations such as hill stations, forest-edge landscapes, waterfalls, wetlands, river corridors, backwaters and coastal belts. It proposes a Kerala Ecological Vulnerability and Climate Risk Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act to ensure time-bound compensation and resettlement for communities displaced by floods, landslides, coastal erosion and other climate-related hazards.

The document recommends establishing a Kerala Climate Action and Resilience Mission to integrate climate considerations into planning, budgeting and development across sectors.

N Badusha, President of Wayanad Prakruthi Samrakshana Samithi, said the charter is intended not as a protest document but as a policy framework that political parties can adopt in their election manifestos. "With the Assembly elections approaching, we hope the proposals will spark a wider debate on Kerala's ecological future and ensure that environmental governance becomes a central theme in the political discourse", he said.