THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking an amendment to the draft notification of the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests to declare 118.59 sq km of land around the Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary as Eco-Sensitive Zone (ESZ). In the letter, the Chief Minister urged that the notification should be amended by taking into account the legitimate concerns of the people living in the area.

According to the amended recommendation submitted by the state government in January 2020, 88.2 sq km is to be declared as an Ecologically Sensitive Zone. However, the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests has included 118.59 sq km as ESZ.

The state is of the view that densely populated areas should be avoided when declaring environmentally sensitive areas. In view of this, the areas such as Tholpetty, Kattikkulam, Panavally, Kurukkanmoola, Chaligada, Capistore, Cheeyambam, Moodakolli and Chiral should be excluded.

The CM also asked the Ministry of Environment and Forests to make necessary changes in the draft notification, taking into account that people living in these areas are finding it difficult to survive.