📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / This Photo was taken by Timothy A. Gonsalves. Fee
Politics
Kerala asks Centre to spare 98 villages from Western Ghats eco‑sensitive zone
✍️ India Today
🗓 15 Oct 2026, 11:16 PM
👁 20
The Kerala government has formally requested the Union government to remove 98 villages from the proposed eco‑sensitive area covering the Western Ghats, citing local concerns.
Kerala has submitted a formal appeal to the Union Ministry of Environment, seeking the exclusion of 98 villages from the draft eco‑sensitive zone that the government plans to declare across the Western Ghats. The request was conveyed through a written representation by the state’s Department of Forests and Wildlife.
State officials argue that designating these villages as part of an eco‑sensitive area would hamper agricultural activities, forest‑dependent livelihoods and ongoing development projects in the region. They contend that the local economy relies heavily on farming and small‑scale enterprises that could face stringent restrictions under the new status.
The centre has not yet issued a response, but the move follows earlier instances where states have asked for modifications to eco‑sensitive boundaries to balance conservation goals with socio‑economic realities. If the central government accedes, the 98 villages would remain outside the regulatory framework that limits certain types of construction and industrial activity.
Stakeholders, including local panchayats and community groups, have welcomed the state’s intervention, emphasizing the need to protect both the environment and the livelihoods of residents.
The final decision is expected to be taken after inter‑governmental consultations, with the Ministry of Environment slated to review the representation in the coming weeks.
State officials argue that designating these villages as part of an eco‑sensitive area would hamper agricultural activities, forest‑dependent livelihoods and ongoing development projects in the region. They contend that the local economy relies heavily on farming and small‑scale enterprises that could face stringent restrictions under the new status.
The centre has not yet issued a response, but the move follows earlier instances where states have asked for modifications to eco‑sensitive boundaries to balance conservation goals with socio‑economic realities. If the central government accedes, the 98 villages would remain outside the regulatory framework that limits certain types of construction and industrial activity.
Stakeholders, including local panchayats and community groups, have welcomed the state’s intervention, emphasizing the need to protect both the environment and the livelihoods of residents.
The final decision is expected to be taken after inter‑governmental consultations, with the Ministry of Environment slated to review the representation in the coming weeks.