The attack on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's office has also brought to focus protests against the recent Supreme Court order on declaring one kilometre around forests as buffer zone. However, environmentalists in the state allege that unnecessary tension is being created to scuttle the restrictions.
The ruling CPM-led Left Democratic Front and Opposition Congress-led United Democratic Front in Kerala have been staging demonstrations and hartals in high-range districts against the SC order to declare a kilometre around protected forests and wildlife sanctuaries and national parks as ecologically sensitive zones (ESZ).
Environmentalists said that even as only reasonable restrictions are prescribed, the ruling and Opposition parties are succumbing to the pressure tactics of the quarry and forest lobbies. The Kerala government had announced in 2019 that restrictions would be imposed on one kilometre around the forest to mitigate natural calamities.
Wayanad Prakrithi Samrakshana Samiti alleged that the hartals and the attack on the MP office were all aimed at creating unnecessary fear among the people. Misleading campaigns are being unleashed over the buffer zone norm, it said.
The Samiti president N Badusha said that the Kerala government is not taking any action to look into the real issues but is only succumbing to the pressure of the mining and quarrying lobbies.
Kerala government had already decided to object to the SC directive. The coming Assembly session is likely to discuss the matter.
Published 26 June 2022, 15:56 IST