Kerala urges Centre to review Wayanad eco-sensitive notification

Citing the concerns of the people, Kerala government has urged the centre to review the recent notification making 118.59 square kilometre area around Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary as eco-sensitive zone.

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan sent a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday urging that the notification may be amended by avoiding thickly populated areas considering the concerns of the people.

The Chief Minister pointed out that the Forest and Environment Ministry issued the notification without considering the state government’s recommendation that only 88.2 square kilometre area should be notified as eco-sensitive.

Tholpetty, Kattikulam, Panavalli, Kurukanmoola, Chaligadda, Kappistore, Cheeyambam, Moodakolli and Cheeral areas should be avoided as these regions were thickly populated and the people of these areas were already struggling for livelihood.

Already mainstream political parties and religious bodies in Wayanad are up in arms against the notification.