Orthodox church seeks exclusion of inhabited areas from Western Ghats ESA
The Malankara Orthodox church has requested that the government exclude inhabited areas and agricultural land from the proposed Western Ghats ecologically sensitive area (ESA) notification. They argue that environmental protection should not come at the cost of the livelihood of high-range communities.
Why it matters
This reflects the ongoing conflict between environmental conservation policies and the socio-economic needs of local populations living in protected zones.
The Malankara Orthodox church on Monday urged the State government to address the concerns of residents of the high-range areas of Pathanamthitta district regarding the seventh draft notification on ecologically sensitive areas (ESA) in the Western Ghats.
In a statement, Malankara Association secretary Biju Oommen said the government should intervene to ensure that inhabited areas and agricultural land were excluded from the ESA and that its limits were confined to forest areas. He also called for a balanced approach that protected the environment without compromising the livelihood security of high-range communities.
He also sought the exclusion of farms, plantations, places of worship, educational institutions, hospitals and commercial establishments from the final notification. Public hearings should be held in affected areas and panchayat-level maps showing ESA boundaries and survey details should be published, he said.
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