ESA row heats up in Keralam; Kerala Congress (M) demands village-wise data, White Paper
The Kerala Congress (M) is demanding that the state government release a White Paper and village-wise data regarding the proposed Ecologically Sensitive Area (ESA). The party criticizes the government for failing to adopt a clear political stance on the inclusion of agricultural land in the ESA list.
Why it matters
The dispute highlights the ongoing tension between environmental conservation efforts and the livelihoods of local agricultural communities in India.
Even as the Keralam government has sought to exclude more than 30 villages covering over 1,500 sq km from the Ecologically Sensitive Area (ESA) proposed by the Centre, the political row over the issue is showing no signs of easing.
The Kerala Congress (M) has now trained its guns on the United Democratic Front (UDF) government, demanding an explanation for the discrepancy between the findings of a five-member government committee in 2014 and the figures submitted to the Centre in September 2026.
Party chairman Jose K. Mani, MP, said the inclusion of agricultural land in 25 villages across nine districts on the latest ESA list was a matter of serious concern. “Even with the ESA affecting 36 Assembly constituencies, including those represented by five Ministers and the Chief Whip, and 15 Lok Sabha constituencies, the UDF leadership has failed to adopt a clear political position,” he alleged.
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