Kerala readying report on existing condition, says forests and wildlife minister AK Saseendran

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The government is preparing a report to portray the real picture of the existing condition of the area surrounding the wildlife sanctuaries and the national parks in the state, which are to be categorized as eco-sensitive zones, using satellite images and will be submitted before the Supreme Court within three months, forests and wildlife minister A K Saseendran said.
Replying to a calling attention in this regard by MLA C K Hareendran, the minister said that the government will go to any extent to protect the interests of the farmers of the state. The minister said that the state wanted to meet the Centre’s officials dealing with forest matters immediately after the verdict of the Supreme Court on the buffer zone came to convey the state’s contentions but could not meet them due to Covid-19-related restrictions.
However, the state has held discussions with the Union minister who was in the state during transit, during which the minister said that the Centre itself is considering approaching the Supreme Court after discussing the state government’s proposal, Saseendran said.
The minister said that the state government’s proposal is to exclude the heavily human inhabited areas from the ambit of buffer zones, and declare an area ranging from zero to 1km around 14 wildlife sanctuaries and national parks, as buffer zones.
Regarding ensuring essentials like power and water supply to the tribal community members, the minister said that the forests and wildlife department has the habit of seeking the opinion of the Centre even in trivial matters like repairing the damaged roads inside the forests, etc. which is the fault of the existing system. The department is of the understanding that they have no connection with the general public. But the chief minister has made it clear to the forest officials that they are protecting the wildlife and ecology also for the safe and healthy survival of humankind as well.