Amidst mounting protests against alleged flaws in the satellite survey carried out as part of determining forest buffer zones, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan convened a high-level meeting to discuss the buffer zone issue, on Tuesday.

Ministers of revenue, forest and local self-government will attend the meeting. Forest Minister A K Saseendran said that all issues related to the buffer zone would be discussed at the meeting

Though Forest Minister AK Saseendran had, on Sunday, said that the government won’t submit the satellite survey report to the Supreme Court as it  contain certain inconsistencies, he later went back from his statement.  He said the government had no choice but to submit the satellite survey report to the apex court.

In this connection, it has been reported that the government is considering informing the Supreme Court that the direct inspection report will be submitted later along with the satellite survey report. The government is also considering seeking an extension of time to submit the satellite survey report along with the site inspection report.

A satellite  survey conducted by the Kerala government to identify human settlements and agricultural areas, which should be exempted from the purview of one km of eco-sensitive zones of protected forest tracts in the state, has drawn flak from the Opposition Congress, the Church  and various farmer outfits in the state.

The Opposition parties and various organisations have alleged that the satellite survey report published by the government on buffer zones is incomplete and lacks clarity.

Congress-led UDF, outfits such as Kerala Independent Farmers Association (KIFA), Infam and regional farmers’ collectives, with the backing of the Kerala Catholic Bishops’ Council (KCBC) are on a war path against the satellite survey report.

A three-judge bench of the Supreme Court, in its order on June 3, said national parks, wildlife sanctuaries and such protected forests must have Eco-Sensitive Zones (ESZs) of minimum 1-km from their boundaries.

The court said the guidelines issued by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MEF & CC) on 9 February, 2011, which have either banned or regulated a bunch of activities within the ESZ, should be strictly adhered to.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said that the state government’s policy is to ensure that people lead normal lives in the human habitations near buffer zones. Speaking at the Keralotsavam event organised by the State Youth Welfare Board on Sunday in Kannur, he alleged that attempts are being made by certain quarters to wilfully mislead the public over the issue.