The Keralam Legislative Assembly on Thursday unanimously passed a resolution asking the Centre to accept the state’s revised proposal to exclude 8,590.69 square kilometers across 98 revenue villages from the Western Ghats Ecologically Sensitive Area. The resolution urged the central government to issue its final notification only after properly considering the state government’s submission, with the primary aim of protecting local livelihoods, farming, human settlements, public health, and essential infrastructure while still conserving the Western Ghats.
Minister for Electricity, Environment and Parliamentary Affairs Sunny Joseph introduced the resolution in the Assembly. Chief Minister V D Satheesan noted that the current administration maintained the same foundational stance on the issue as the previous government. Leader of Opposition Pinarayi Vijayan proposed adding references to the efforts undertaken by the prior Left administration over the preceding decade, a suggestion that Joseph accepted, noting that the final proposal was the cumulative result of work carried out by successive governments.
Joseph also accepted an amendment from BJP MLA V Muraleedharan to acknowledge that the Centre had refrained from issuing the final notification thus far in order to safeguard public interest. Beyond seeking approval for the revised geographic boundaries, the resolution pressed the Centre to ensure that the regulatory rules governing the Ecologically Sensitive Area are not extended beyond their officially notified limits.
Additionally, the Assembly asked the central government to review regulatory provisions concerning Red Category industries and allow tailored exemptions based on specific local circumstances. These proposed exemptions cover milk and dairy processing operations, slaughterhouses and meat processing units, common effluent treatment plants, and healthcare facilities utilizing diesel generator systems with capacities exceeding 5 megawatts-amperes.
During his presentation, Joseph indicated that exemptions might also be extended to new healthcare facilities, pumped-storage hydroelectric initiatives, and larger townships spanning over 50 hectares intended for rehabilitating populations affected by disasters or distress. Any such exempted projects would still remain strictly obligated to comply with existing environmental laws, adhere to pollution control standards, and secure all mandatory statutory clearances.
The minister further advocated for the total exclusion of the Cardamom Hill Reserve from the Ecologically Sensitive Area, pointing to its extensive history of traditional cardamom cultivation, longstanding human habitation, and established infrastructure. The broader resolution asked the Centre to frame its final notification so that it balances the long-term ecological preservation of the Western Ghats with the protection of farmer interests, traditional farming practices, and human settlements, explicitly urging that human habitations, agricultural lands, and plantations be kept completely outside the restricted zone.