EC CLEARS DRAFT NOTIFICATION ON ESAS

The ruling United Democratic Front (UDF) leadership heaved a collective sigh of relief as the Election Commission (EC) on Monday permitted the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests to issue a draft notification seeking to exempt more areas from the category of Ecologically Sensitive Areas (ESAs) demarcated by the K. Kasturirangan committee report on the Western Ghats.

Though the Election Commission held that the final notification should be issued only after the Lok Sabha election process was completed, this was enough for the UDF to declare that there was no cause for concern about the implications of the Kasturirangan committee recommendations. The EC’s decision indicated full acceptance of the recommendations of the expert committee constituted by the State government, and would help remove the apprehensions of the people over the demarcation of the ESAs, Chief Minister Oommen Chandy said.

MANI’S RESPONSE

Kerala Congress (M) leader K.M. Mani said the EC decision was a matter of great relief, though only a final notification that nullifies the November 13 Office Memorandum of the Ministry would settle the issue.

The KC(M) high-power committee meeting held in the evening was focussed on getting the Idukki seat.