NEW DELHI: The central government has issued a clarification over the ecologically sensitive zone norms in Wayanad. Minister for forests and environment Prakash Javadekar has added the general opinion of state and its people will be considered before implementing the norms. The ecologically sensitive norms were not determined by the centre alone.

The minister was replying to the question asked by KC Venugopal MP on the ESA norms in Wayanad wildlife sanctuary. Javadekar said that the central government is not picking any villages on random basis for the implementation of ESA norms.

Meanwhile, chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan has asked to amend the draft notification which recommended to bring 3.5 km area around Wayanad wildlife sanctuary under ESA norms. A letter was sent to Narendra Modi to inform the state’s concerns over the issue. As per the amended recommendations submitted by the state government in 2020 January, 88.2 square km of area around the sanctuary is environment-sensitive area. The central environment ministry has included 118.9 square kilometres under ESA norms as per the draft notification.

The hartal declared by UDF condemning the draft notification is currently ongoing in Wayanad district. Basic services were exempted from the hartal. Vehicle movement was permanently halted including interstate bus services. As traders and merchants association has declared solidarity with the hartal, shops and establishments remained shut.