Building Public Awareness about ESZ and its Procedure

Kannur: KIFA officials were invited to Kelakam by a group of elected representatives to speak about the standard procedures to identify and demarcate the boundaries of the Eco-Sensitive Zone (ESZ). The Forest department is in the process of getting concurrence from the public as well as elected representatives to finalize the boundary of ESZ around Aralam Wildlife Sanctuary. The suspicious moves made by the forest department agitated the citizens in the affected region. Pressure from civilians forced elected representatives to go deeper into the matter and seek KIFA’s expertise in the subject matter. On behalf of KIFA, Chairman Mr. Alex Ozhukayil, Mr. Thomson K George, and Mr. Jinto James attended the public meeting organized by LSG Bodies in the affected area and enlightened the crowd about standard practices to identify and declare ESZ. They also covered the usual malpractices forest department may follow to keep the civilians in the dark.