Church gives Oommen Chandy breathing space in Ecologically Sensitive Areas case
13 March 2014 6:36 AM GMT
Pic for representational purpose
Kochi: The Syro Malabar Catholic Church, in the forefront of the agitation against Kasturirangan report, on Tuesday made it clear that though it is not fully satisfied with the new draft notification on Ecologically Sensitive Areas (ESAs) lying on Western Ghats, it will not use the issue as a pressure tactic for political purposes during elections. The stand of the church has come as a major relief for ruling UDF.
Clarifying the church view to the media, Major Archbishop Mar George Cardinal Alencherry said that it was clear that the draft notification had taken care of the demands of the farmers and the state government. “But the agitation by the High Range Protection Council will have to continue till the final notification is issued,” Mar Alencherry said.
“We know the government made lot of effort to bring out a draft notification as the elections approached. But why did it wake up so late to an issue which has been agitating the farmers for years? Maybe this has something to do with the style of functioning of the government,” the Cardinal said.
The words of the church head clearly brought out its anger about a slow-moving government. Obviously the church wanted to keep the government on its toes till the final notification was issued. The church supremo, however, said that he was yet to read the full text of the new notification.
“I could get hold of only seven pages that are the operating part of the document and I am making the clarifications based on these.”
Mar Alencherry also made it clear that the church did not want to be in active politics. On fielding a candidate in Idukki Lok Sabha constituency, the High Range Protection Council was free to take its own decisions as its members came from all communities, not Catholic Church alone, he pointed out.
Meanwhile, the draft notification of Ecologically Sensitive Areas (ESAs) of the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests, expected anytime now, has delimited ESAs as demanded by the state government, fixing it at 9993.7 sq km as against 13,108 sq km fixed by the Kasturirangan panel earlier.
This will leave out agricultural areas, orchards, horticultural plots, plantations and residential areas coming to 3,115 sq kms falling in 123 villages from the purview of ESAs. What remains as ESAs in these villages are 886.7 sq kms of government land comprising grassland, lakes and rocks. The village-wise details of ESAs are available in the website of the Kerala State Bio Diversity Board.
A copy of the notification available with this newspaper shows that all the demands of the state government put forward through the Oommen V. Oommen committee report regarding ESAs have been taken care of by it.
While UDF government heaves a sigh of relief as it was able to avoid a political crisis, the Opposition LDF claimed that the notification has no effect as the order of the MoEF on November 13, 2013 continues to be in vogue. Chief Minister, Oommen Chandy was quick to clarify that while it was true that the order of November 13 was still in vogue, it would be implemented only with the provisions in the new draft notification.
( Source : dc correspondent )
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