Thiruvananthapuram, Dec 20 (PTI) The LDF government in Kerala on Tuesday decided to publish the draft buffer zone map, already sent to the Centre, but said time will be given for providing additional information to be included in that.
The decision was taken in a high level meeting, chaired by Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, that was held during the day to discuss the buffer zone issue which is creating ripples across the state with the Catholic church spearheading the movement to exclude populated areas from it.
In the high-level meeting, also attended by the state Ministers for Revenue, Forest, Finance and Local Self- Government Institutions and various senior bureaucrats, it was decided that if additional information needed to be included in the map, opportunity for the same would be provided, the CMO statement said.
It also said that the time for submitting additional information was extended till January 7.
In the high-level meeting held during the day, a decision was also taken to apply to the Supreme Court for extension of the time to submit information before it, the CMO statement said.
It also said it was further decided to gather information from the areas to be affected by forming a committee consisting of all sections of the public, including people’s representatives.
In the meeting it was also decided that a team consisting of Revenue, Forest and Local Self-Government Department officials and technical experts will be appointed at the panchayat level to verify the information so received, the release said.
While a statement issued by the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) gave details of the meeting, it was not clear on whether the draft map, sent to the Centre, was based on the recent contentious satellite survey which has been termed as “incomplete and inaccurate” by the Catholic church and the Congress.
Earlier in the day, Kerala Transport Minister Antony Raju and Water Minister Roshi Augustine, after meeting major archbishop-catholicos of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church, Baselios Cleemis, said the Left government’s intention was to try and limit buffer zones within the forests.
They met the top priest a day after the Catholic church upped the ante against the Left government and declared a war against the state administration on the issue at a convention held in Kozhikode on Monday.
Downplaying the meeting with the Cardinal as a casual one, the ministers also said the government was considering carrying out field surveys of the areas where buffer zones have to be implemented in accordance with the Supreme Court directions.
Augustine further said the government’s intention was to rectify the “shortcomings” in the satellite survey and provide necessary help to the people and added that even Chief Minister Vijayan has made it clear there was no need for concern.
Meanwhile, the Catholic church — which has opposed the satellite survey report and also recommended that the buffer zone be limited within the forest — said that the Forest officials should not be part of the survey process.
“That would be akin to handing over keys of the safe to the thief,” Remigiose Inchananiyil, Bishop of Thamarassery Diocese in Kozhikode district, told reporters.
He said that forest officials and farmers can never be on the same page on the issue.
A protest march, led by the Catholic church, was also held in Thiruvananthapuram on the buffer zone issue.
During the last few days, both Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and state Forest Minister A K Saseendran had said that as the satellite survey of the forested areas had not taken into account everything, a report based on it would not be placed before the Supreme Court.
Leader of Opposition in the Assembly V D Satheesan, who too has been opposing the satellite survey report by terming it “incomplete and inaccurate”, questioned why a manual survey with the cooperation of the revenue department and local bodies was not conducted.
He, while speaking to reporters here, also questioned why the satellite survey report of August was shelved for three months and released only in December.
He also reiterated what he said a few days ago that the Left government in 2019 by way of a cabinet decision had allegedly included population centres in the buffer zone and the same was also sent to the Centre.
“The government is working against the interests of Kerala. If the Supreme Court reiterates its stand on the buffer zone issue, it will adversely affect tens of thousands of families who will not be able to grow crops or build houses,” Satheesan contended.
The LoP, a few days ago, had suggested that the state government seek more time from the apex court to file a report and to use the time extension for carrying out a proper manual survey.
Vijayan, on Monday, had called the high-level meeting in the wake of sharp criticism of his government’s allegedly “hasty” satellite survey of forest areas and threats of agitations by the Catholic church and the Congress.
The Congress had threatened that agitations would be held, similar to those against the SilverLine project, if the Left government did not set aside its alleged “indifference” and address the concerns of the people on the buffer zone issue.
The Supreme Court in June had directed that a buffer zone of 1-km be maintained around forests and sanctuaries across the country. Against this, both the Centre and the Kerala government have moved review pleas in the apex court. PTI HMP TGB HMP SS SS
This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.