Kerala Assembly unanimously passes resolution asking Union government to accept State’s revised ESA proposal

The Keralam Assembly, on Thursday, unanimously passed a resolution demanding that the Union Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change accept the State government’s revised Ecologically Sensitive Area (ESA) proposal, covering an area of 8,590.69 sq km in 98 revenue villages. The resolution urged the Union government to issue the final notification regarding ESA in the Western Ghats only after considering the amendment proposal submitted by the State government so as to safeguard the interests of the people of the State.

It further wanted the Union government to ensure that the restrictions related to the ESA area be limited to the scientifically determined and clearly demarcated boundaries.

The resolution, moved by Electricity Minister Sunny Joseph, seeks special exemptions from ESA category for milk processing units, common sewage treatment plants, diesel generator systems in hospitals, medical colleges and industrial parks, new healthcare institutions, pumped storage hydropower projects and townships established in an area exceeding 50 hectares for the purpose of rehabilitating persons affected by disasters.

Exemption sought for CHR

Considering the unique land use nature of the Cardamom Hill Reserve (CHR), its long-standing cardamom cultivation, human settlements, infrastructure and existing legal restrictions, the resolution also requests the Union government to exclude it from the proposed ESA regulatory regime.

The resolution further requests the Union government to issue a final ESA notification by ensuring the ecological integrity and long-term conservation of the Western Ghats, by protecting the livelihoods of the people of Keralam, the interests of farmers, traditional agriculture, human settlements, public health and protection for necessary infrastructure development in human settlements, agricultural lands and plantations.

Pinarayi’s demand

Leader of the Opposition Pinarayi Vijayan, who said that the resolution omits the major interventions made by the previous Left Democratic Front (LDF) governments to reduce the ESA areas, moved an amendment to include the same. An amendment to this effect was made in the resolution. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA V. Muraleedharan’s amendment saying that the Union government has not issued the final notification considering public concerns was also partly accepted.