Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala has asked the Centre to trim its proposed Ecologically Sensitive Area (ESA) list by dropping 33 of the 131 villages, including all four in Kottayam and more than half of the 51 villages in Idukki.

In a report submitted to the Union environment ministry, the state has also sought to reduce the total ESA area from the 9,993.7 sq km proposed by the Centre to 8,590 sq km.

Environment Secretary M G Rajamanikyam submitted the report on Thursday, a day before the 60-day period for submitting objections to the Centre’s seventh draft notification on ESA, issued on July 27, expires. Prior to its submission, Chief Minister V D Satheesan and Environment Minister Sunny Joseph held a final round of discussions during the day.

The report excludes inhabited and agricultural areas and includes cadastral maps to remove ambiguities in the proposals submitted during the previous government’s tenure. Shape files identifying the areas concerned have also been submitted.

The government is expected to disclose details of the villages proposed to be excluded on Friday. Sunny Joseph is scheduled to address a press conference on the issue.

Kerala counters continuity argument
An expert committee appointed by the Centre had earlier pointed out the lack of geographical continuity in the previous ESA proposal submitted by the state. The latest report sets out the reasons for excluding certain areas.

It says cardamom forests, plantation land, patta land comprising inhabited areas and wetlands have been kept out because Kerala has a strong legal framework to regulate land use in these areas. The state also argues that geographical continuity is not essential for identifying ESA areas and that areas excluded from the proposal need not be brought under the ESA merely to ensure continuity.

Whether the Centre accepts Kerala’s revised proposal will become clear only when the final notification is issued.

Objections can be submitted till today
The 60-day window for the public and organisations to submit objections and suggestions to the draft notification will end on Friday.

Comments can be sent to the Delhi office of the Union Environment Ministry or emailed to esz-mef@nic.in.