THAMARASSERY: The Thamarassery diocese came forward demanding withdrawal of the satellite survey. Bishop Mar Remigius Inchananiyil said a social impact study should be conducted and that the map is full of errors. He also said the government should understand the pain of the people living in the hilly areas on the buffer zone issue.

The bishop also alleged that there is a conspiracy in the delay on the release of the survey report. We are only asking the rights for the farmers to live. The government should stand by them to get it. He said that two or three ministers should be entrusted to study the matter.

The bishop during a press meet said the public awareness journeys will start tomorrow. Meantime, the Bathery Municipal Council passed a resolution on the buffer zone issue. The resolution was passed by the ruling committee headed by the CPM. The entire city of Sultan Batheri falls within the buffer zone.

Concerns arose in the hilly region after the satellite survey maps were published on the sites. The response of the diocese today was following that. The CPM and the government will try to retaliate politically with the Congress and UDF entering the scene. However, the involvement of dioceses is a challenge.

The government is trying to give an assurance to the diocese that it will not accept the satellite survey as it is and will go to the field to investigate and resolve the oppositions. Only, the Latin diocese staged protests in Vizhinjam. In the buffer zone, all Christian dioceses are against the government. The Congress is also moving to use the buffer zone as a weapon against the government as it is an issue of increasing power and influence.