KGPA seeks comprehensive review of Western Ghats ESA proposal

The district committee of the Kerala Grama Panchayat Association (KGPA) has called for a comprehensive review of the Centre’s draft notification proposing the demarcation of ecologically sensitive areas (ESAs) in the Western Ghats, particularly those proposed in Kozhikode district.

A resolution passed by the committee at a meeting of people’s representatives and local body heads at Kattippara on Thursday (September 3) said the proposed ESA boundaries should be examined based on their ecological, geographical, and socio-economic characteristics. It said the demarcation should not adversely affect the interests of local communities or development activities.

It urged the government to consider the concerns of grama panchayat presidents, members, and residents while finalising the ESA notification. It also appealed to the government to make necessary amendments to the proposal and submit its objections and recommendations to the Centre before the final notification was issued.

The committee noted that the latest proposal covered 9,993.7 sq. km across 131 villages in Keralam. It pointed out that the number of villages proposed for inclusion had varied in successive drafts — 123, 119, 92, 98, and 131 — and said such changes warranted a detailed examination of how the boundaries were being determined.

Local body heads who attended the meeting also sought field-level verification of the proposed boundaries. They pointed out that the villages had varying geographical features and that revenue and cadastral boundaries should be considered while finalising the ESA demarcation. They suggested that the boundaries be clearly marked using a Geographic Information System or cadastral maps and verified in consultation with local bodies and other stakeholders.

The resolution said that the methodology adopted by the high-level working group (HLWG) used geospatial parameters such as the proportion of natural landscape, ESA, and population density. It called for verification of whether ecological criteria had been applied uniformly while identifying the proposed areas.

The association also raised concerns over the accuracy of the extent of forest area mentioned in the proposal, arguing that any reduction or alteration should have a clear scientific basis. It sought a detailed review of the proposal, particularly in areas where the proposed boundaries differed from those in earlier notifications. It also called for consultations with the Forest department and other agencies, along with local-level verification, before the final notification was issued.

P.K. Firoz, MLA, opened the meeting. Biju Thannikkakkuzhi, district president of the KGPA, presided. C.K. Kasim, MLA; district panchayat president Mili Mohan; and the heads of eight grama panchayats were present, among others.