Amidst sharp criticism of its allegedly "hasty" satellite survey of forest areas and threats of agitations by the Congress and some religious organisations, the Kerala government on Monday, December 19, called for a high-level meeting, chaired by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, on the buffer zone issue.
Vijayan called the meeting, scheduled to be held on Tuesday afternoon, of the state Ministers of Revenue, Forest, Finance and Local Self Government institutions and respective top officials of those departments to discuss the issue of determining the extent of the eco-sensitive zones (ESZs) around protected forests and wildlife sanctuaries in accordance with the order of the Supreme Court.
A government source confirmed the convening of the meeting, a decision which comes hours after the Congress announced that it would be holding public agitations similar to those held against the SilverLine project, across the state on the buffer zone issue.
Earlier in the day, the Congress said the agitations would be held if the Left government does not set aside its alleged "indifference" and address the concerns of the people on the buffer zone issue.
Several senior Congress leaders, including Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president K Sudhakaran and Leader of Opposition in the state assembly V D Satheesan, in the past few days have been issuing this warning to the Left government.
On Monday, after a meeting of KPCC office bearers and DCC presidents, Congress state general secretary (organisation) T U Radhakrishnan informed the media that a decision was taken in the meet to organise a strong agitation if the government does not address concerns of the people on the buffer zone issue.
Radhakrishnan claimed that the Pinarayi Vijayan government will not be permitted to "throw dust in the eyes of the public" by way of the "hastily conducted" satellite survey.
He said people were concerned as the satellite survey of the forest areas in the state had left out several residential and agricultural areas and thousands of constructions.
Vijayan and Kerala Forest Minister A K Saseendran have admitted that the satellite survey does not include everything and they also have said that it would not be the final report that is placed before the Supreme Court or the Centre.
Radhakrishnan also said that the people living in the affected areas were justified in seeking a ground survey and studies for determining the buffer zone limits as it was a vital issue for them.
He said that as part of the third phase of 'public trial' of the Left government, which was allegedly "deteriorating day by day due to inflation, corruption, nepotism, police raj, etc", around 50,000 people would lay siege to the Secretariat in the last week of January 2023.
The Congress leader also said that it was observed during the meeting that the vehicle processions against the Left government at block level were a success and it was decided to complete those by December end.
It was also decided in the meeting that in continuation of such protests against the LDF government, public meetings would be held in 1,000 centres across the state by January 15, 2023, he said.
On Sunday, the ruling CPI(M) and the Kerala government had said their intention was to exclude residential and agricultural areas from the buffer zones and as the satellite survey did not include everything, it was not being considered as the final report.
Both Vijayan and the Left party claimed that false propaganda was being spread by some people to distort the government stand on the buffer zones.
The objections against the satellite survey report of the State government have been gaining momentum over the last few days with locals of affected areas, Congress party and Christian religious organisations terming the survey as "inaccurate" and "lacking clarity".
The Supreme Court in June had directed that a buffer zone of one-km be maintained around forests and sanctuaries across the country. Against this, both the Centre and the Kerala government have moved review pleas in the apex court.