Environmental organisations have welcomed the recent Supreme Court order stating that every protected forest, national park and wildlife sanctuary across the country should have a mandatory eco-sensitive zone (ESZ) of minimum one-km starting from their demarcated boundaries.
Wayanad Prakruthi Samrakshana Samiti president N. Badusha said that his organisation welcomed the directive as it would not adversely affect the livelihood or sustainable development of traditional forest dwellers, tribespeople and farmers. The directive would ensure security and peace of mind for communities living on the forest fringes. Settler farmer organisations that were spreading baseless and misleading comments against the directive were the spokespersons of mining, tourism, quarry and construction sector lobbies, he alleged.
As per the directive, commercial mining, setting up of sawmills and industries causing pollution, the establishment of major hydroelectric projects, production of any hazardous substances, undertaking activities related to tourism like flying over the national park area by aircraft and hot air balloons, discharge of effluents and solid waste in natural water bodies or terrestrial areas have been proposed to be made prohibited activities.
A 10-km ESZ was declared by the Union government in 2001, but successive State governments failed to execute it . Though the apex court had issued many deadlines to declare ESZ since 2006 and the Central government issued guidelines in 2011, the State governments repeatedly failed to execute it, he added.
The people residing in those areas were yet to face any issues, contrary to the comments spread by some organisations, said Mr. Badusha. Many fertile plots of land in Wayanad were procured by rich people and the land mafia from other districts, and they were raising huge constructions on it after the recent tourism boom in the district, he said.
The resort-tourism mafia was usurping even tribal settlements on the fringes of the forest, he alleged. However, the directive was a boon for the common public. The government and the Forest department should clarify the doubts of commoners regarding the directive, he added.
