High ranges of Kottayam mobilise against proposed ESA tag

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With just two weeks left in the 60-day window for filing objections and suggestions to the Centre’s seventh draft notification on Ecologically Sensitive Areas (ESAs) in the Western Ghats, hundreds of settler families in the high ranges of Kottayam are bracing for a fresh battle to keep their homes and plantations out of the proposed ESA.

The four villages of Koottikkal, Melukavu, Poonjar Thekkekkara and Teekoy, all in the Poonjar Assembly constituency, are now on the proposed ESA map after being included in the draft notification issued on July 27.

The proposal, estimated to affect around 70,000 people, has prompted residents, local bodies and various organisations including the Catholic church to step up their campaign against the move.

Agriculture is the backbone of these high range villages, with rubber, cardamom, coffee, pepper, coconut and banana among the major crops. Residents fear that bringing their land under the ESA could impose restrictions on plantations and hamper essential development activities.

In the Koottikkal region, the opposition has already moved beyond petitions. The local body has already convened special grama sabhas in all 14 wards, held an urgent council meeting and passed a resolution detailing its objections. The resolution will be forwarded to the State and Union governments by registered post.

“There are around 30,000 people in Koottikkal panchayat and they unanimously seek the exclusion of the panchayat from ESA limits,” said Ancy Sebastian, president of Koottikkal panchayat.

Ms. Ancy has warned that the protest could spill onto the streets if the demand is ignored, with the entire village, from children to the elderly, taking part in a mass agitation.

“There is not an inch of forest land in the panchayat. The residents are mostly farmers and have cultivated rubber, plantains, jackfruit and other crops here. In satellite surveys, these plantations might have been mistaken for forest cover. However, these are human-inhabited areas and hence should be excluded from the ESA,” she added.

Kerala Congress leader and Government Chief Whip Apu John Joseph said all possible steps would be taken to secure the exclusion of the villages.

“The concerns raised by the settlers, both directly or through different collectives, have been presented with the Chief Minister. We are also continuing interactions at different levels, holding conventions and meetings to mobilise observations of various farmer collectives,” he said.

According to him, Chief Minister V. D. Satheesan is slated to visit Idukki on September 25 and interact with various stakeholders on the ESA issue.

Pathanamthitta MP Anto Antony, whose constituency also includes Poonjar, said the United Democratic Front had consistently maintained that non-forest land should not be brought under the ESA.

“The forest land that falls after the boundary stone shall be included in the ESA. No property after this point can be regarded as ESA . This will be conveyed to the centre through the State government,” he said.