THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The 'survey number'-based ESA (ecologically sensitive area) maps of 119 villages in the state were handed over to the union Ministry of Environment and Forests on Thursday. The new set of maps, prepared by village-level committees, is similar to the cadastral maps presented in 2014, except for two major differences.
One, these maps will have survey numbers, though approximate. And two, it has taken out four villages (155 sq km) from the first set of maps.
The High-Level Working Group led by K. Kasturirangan panel had branded all of 123 villages as ESA, a total of 13,801 sq km.
The Oommen V Oommen panel, appointed by the state, then took out 3,247 sq km by dividing the villages into ESA and non-ESA areas, which were further divided into agricultural land, built-up land including towns and houses, forest, wastelands and water bodies.
The MoEF then directed the state to provide boundary descriptions. The latest exercise was undertaken to demarcate boundaries.
The new maps too, like the earlier cadastral maps, will not have clear boundary descriptions to demarcate ESA and non-ESA areas. The state has been able to provide only “approximate survey numbers”.
There are thousand-odd acres in the high ranges bracketed under a single survey number. As a consequence, a single survey number will include forests and cultivated land.
“It is true that one survey number will include both ESA and non-ESA areas. It is impossible to provide precise survey number unless a resurvey is conducted,” Dr Oommen said, after presenting the new set of maps to the MoEF.
MoEF officials will now visit the state to conduct a random checking of the areas marked as ESAs. A final notification will be issued on September 9.
