Kerala hopeful about favorable verdict on buffer zone; expert panel to submit report

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Kerala government is hopeful and is keeping an optimistic eye that the supreme court allowing a report to be presented about the buffer zones over the protected forest lands. The court procedures and the disputes were hanging unanswered for years long. The government is thus preparing to get advice from the advocate general to move ahead to end the long-stalled buffer zone works. The government will be able to directly inform the court regarding the report since the government formerly sent a clarification petition regarding the supreme court verdict of June 3, 2022. Thus the government is a partisan in the case and can approach the court with the report.

The central ministry of forest and environment according to a national wildlife action plan(2012-2016) labeled the 10 km radius near sanctuaries and wildlife habitats as environmentally sensitive areas which triggered a start to the court procedures. Earlier, the court asked the Kerala government to submit a satellite report which was delayed by the government for five months. And now, after a long run of time, the government looks sturdy with satellite reports and is hopeful to convince the court to move ahead with the buffer zone works.