Thiruvananthapuram: The last date to file complaints against errors and omissions in the tentative map of the buffer zones or Eco-Sensitive Zones (ESZs) adjoining protected forests in Kerala is fast approaching. So far, 26,030 complaints have been received through panchayat help desks for conducting physical verification of the disputed areas that have been delineated as buffer zones in the draft map. As of Tuesday, Jan 3, only 18 have been settled. The deadline is Saturday, Jan 7.

A total of 340 grievances which were found to be duplicates were dropped in Koorachundu Panchayat in Kozhikode district. In some local self-governments, verification of complaints is still going on. All the 16 complaints received from 7 local civic bodies in the Periyar Tiger Reserve too have been settled.

The largest number of complaints, totalling 6,133, were received with regard to the Peechi-Vazhani-Chimmini-Choolannur wildlife sanctuaries. However, not one of them has been addressed yet.

Though 5,203 complaints were received from 9 panchayats coming within the Malabar Wildlife Sanctuary not even one of them has been settled. A total of 4,240 complaints were received till now from just the Chakkittapara Panchayat alone in the Malabar Wildlife Sanctuary.

It is unclear what will happen in the case of the other complaints, with only three more days remaining for registering grievances and to request inclusion of structures that have been left out in the two maps released by the Forest department.

Even half the number of manual verifications of the areas in these panchayats will not be completed within the time-frame fixed by the Forest Department. The Chief Minister had said earlier that the report would be submitted to the Supreme Court before January 11 after completing all the formalities, including the physical verification of the areas.

Progress report
Chief Wildlife Warden Ganga Singh has handed over to Forest Minister A K Saseendran the progress report prepared after compiling the complaints received from self-government bodies about land verification.

The report has pointed out that manual verifications in local self-governments began when there were just 5 more days left for filing complaints.

It was decided to conduct physical verification in areas in the jurisdiction of 91 local civic bodies. Help desks were opened at all the local self-governments except Thenkara Panchayat which comes with the perimeters of the Silent Valley Wildlife Sanctuary in Palakkad district.

Details on human habitations still awaited
The details about human habitations in 57 panchayats, prepared using the Asset Mapper app of the Kerala State Remote Sensing and Environmental Centre (KSREC), have not been uploaded yet. In half the number of panchayats, only training for uploading the details has been provided.

Break-up Of Complaints Received
Here's the break-up of complaints received through the help desks of local self-governments and information gathered using the Asset Mapper app.