NEW DELHI: Union Environmental ministry has issued an order removing obstacles for development activities in 3115 square feet area spread across Kerala’s 123 villages. Kasturirangan had excluded this area from the areas it had categorised under Ecologically Sensitive Areas (ESA).

The order was issued after amending the Clause 5 of Environmental act.

With this, Kerala’s human habitat areas, paddy fields and plantations in Idukki and Wayanad districts will not come under ESA. Thus it will remove the obstacles for development activities and post flood re-construction of Kerala.

Though 2013 November order regarding ESA in six Western Ghats state was revised in March 2014, the ban on quarries, mining thermal power stations continued.

The State counsel pointed out that 2013 November order was a hindrance to rebuilding of flood-battered Kerala. MP Joyce George also gave a memorandum that the order came in the way of admission of new batch in the Idukki Medical College.

This was also considered while lifting the restrictions on 3115 sq feet km in Kerala.