ESA row triggers political showdown in Keralam’s central Travancore

The groundswell of anxiety among settler communities over the possible inclusion of inhabited areas and farmland in the Ecologically Sensitive Area (ESA) is fuelling a political showdown in central Travancore in Keralam, with the CPI(M) and the Congress trading charges over the UDF-led State government’s handling of the issue.

Pathanamthitta has emerged as the focal point of the controversy, with the CPI(M) calling a hartal in seven villages on October 24, alleging that the State government has failed to secure adequate safeguards for inhabited areas and farmland. The party has stepped up protests in the district, following similar agitation in Idukki.

The Congress, however, maintains that the State government’s submission to the Centre addresses concerns over the protection of inhabited areas and farmland.

Pazhakulam Madhu, the UDF legislator from Ranni, has dismissed the CPI(M)’s hartal call as “an attempt to mislead the public.” He said the report submitted by the State government to the Centre for the seventh draft notification did not include inhabited areas.

“The Kerala Assembly had unanimously passed a resolution demanding the exclusion of inhabited areas and farmland from the ESA declaration. An amendment moved by Opposition Leader Pinarayi Vijayan was also accepted. Against this backdrop, it is unclear why the CPI(M) has called a hartal on the grounds that the seven villages have not been excluded,” he said.

Mr. Madhu said he would “be the first to oppose” any move to include inhabited areas in Ranni, or any additional areas beyond those covered in the existing report, in the ESA zone. He also called for the formation of forest villages to address the challenges posed by the ESA classification, stressing that the declaration should not hamper the development of areas such as Sabarimala.

The CPI(M), however, disputes this account. Its Pathanamthitta district secretary, Raju Abraham, maintained that the list submitted by the State government to the Centre on September 24 includes all seven villages in the district, along with their inhabited areas.

‘Evasive approach’

Mr. Abraham accused the State government of adopting “an evasive approach” to the issue. He alleged that UDF MLAs from the district had not been willing to raise the matter in the Assembly and that the MP representing the region had also failed to take a stand. He urged the Chief Minister and State Ministers to meet the Prime Minister and the Union Ministers concerned to press for a resolution.

“People are already facing difficulties in selling or purchasing land in the affected areas. If the region is declared a wildlife sanctuary, residents could be forced to leave their homes with nothing. All development activities would require the approval of a special authority constituted by the Forest Department at the State and district levels. The Gadgil report even recommends restrictions on cultivating annual crops, citing soil erosion,” Mr. Abraham said.

KC(M) protest meeting in Kottayam

The political contest over the ESA row is also spilling into Kottayam district. Kerala Congress (M), a constituent of the Opposition LDF, is set organise a protest meeting in Erattupetta on Friday (October 23), demanding stronger safeguards for inhabited areas and farmland.

The march will begin at Muttom Junction at 4 pm and culminate at Central Junction, where party chairman and MP Jose K. Mani will inaugurate the meeting.

Lopez Mathew, president of the KC(M) Kottayam district committee, said the report submitted by the State government did not guarantee the complete protection of inhabited areas and farmland, despite the demand for the exclusion of 33 villages from the ESA list.

“The State government has adopted a position contrary to the report submitted by the LDF government before the Supreme Court,” he said.