The report submitted by the Kerala Government today gives a clear picture of the Ecological Sensitive Areas (ESA) and other areas of the Western Ghats in the State.
Kerala government today submitted a comprehensive report comprising its final views on the Kasturirangan report on Western Ghats to the Centre.
According to Kerala State Biodiversity Board Chairman Oommen V Oommen, the report was submitted to the Union Ministry of Environment and Forest.
"The Centre had sought the views of the six Western Ghats States on Kasturirangan report, whose deadline falls tomorrow. Against this backdrop, Kerala Government has submitted its report comprising cadastral map and survey numbers of the villages falling under the Ecological Sensitive Area and Non-Ecological Sensitive Areas," he told reporters in New Delhi.
This would pave the way for the Centre to issue it's final notification on the report on September 9, wherein there would be no room for any anxiety for farmers and local residents in the high-range areas in this regard in Kerala, he added.
"The Kasturirangan report brought about 3,115 sq km of cultural lands under the natural landscape, leading to an uproar among the locals. But, that issue has been sorted out," he said.
He further added that only around 9,850 sq km would now fall under the natural landscape.
The report submitted by the Kerala Government today gives a clear picture of the Ecological Sensitive Areas (ESA) and other areas of the Western Ghats in the State.
"The cadastral map of ESA Villages were made available online for public view, a year ago," Mr Oommen said.
Earlier, the state government had directed district collectors on July 21 to submit a comprehensive report that identifies ecologically fragile lands in the 119 villages to prepare the state's view on the Kasturirangan report on Western Ghats.