ESZ: Amboori panchayat to hold in-house field survey

Thiruvananthapuram: With a lack of clarity surfacing over the field verification process related to determining eco-sensitive zones (ESZ), Amboori panchayat is set to deploy an in-house survey team for the verification and geo-tagging process.
During a meeting of the expert committee, the local self-government department additional chief secretary informed about the delay in field verification in eco-sensitive zones and the practical difficulties faced by Kudumbashree members of LSGs in conducting the survey. Concerns were also raised regarding the expense, as per the minutes of the expert committee meeting held on December 4.
Even in the circular issued by LSGD on Saturday, there was no mention of the procedures to conduct field-level verification. Instead, local bodies were reminded about their roles to smoothen the data collection process. The circular pointed to the need to set up help desks and the role of local bodies in publishing the information and propagating the data. However, the methodology of field level verification, the expenditure, the need for proper training and crucial aspects like agencies to be engaged for field level verification have not been mentioned in the circular.
It is in the wake of this situation that Amboori panchayat has taken it upon itself to constitute, train and deploy a technical team to geotag houses, establishments, shops, and other buildings falling within the ESZ.
“The idea of deploying Kudumbashree to do field verification lacks logic because they do not have any training in dealing with geographical coordinates and working with survey numbers. We have started training our in-house team and they will be deployed soon. There is a lot of apprehension about funding and all, but we have to get this process done,” said Thomas Mangalasseri, vice president of Amboori panchayat. The expert committee has published the preliminary report on areas falling in the eco-sensitive zones of Neyyar and Peppara wildlife sanctuaries. Amboori panchayat has the highest number of areas in ESZ in the district. This report is totally based on satellite images and panchayat residents have called for a proper field-level verification.
Following the publication of the draft notification declaring 2.72km around the boundary of Neyyar and Peppara Wildlife Sanctuaries as an eco-sensitive zone, Amboori panchayat had witnessed huge protests. The action council also staged protests in the city.
As per the draft notification, the state government shall prepare a zonal master plan within a period of two years from the date of publication of the notification in consultation with local people.