THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: After the Chief Minister and the Forest Minister stated their stance clearly in the buffer zone issue, the people living in the high range of the state are feeling hopeful that their concerns are laid to rest. The government said that the the satellite image alone will not be submitted to the Supreme Court. The report will be submitted only after receiving Justice Thottathil Radhakrishnan Committee’s land examination report too.

With this, the 115 panchayat’s field examinations and data collection of buildings have been fast tracked by local bodies. The government is trying to settle the issue by increasing the tenure of the expert committee. By making the government’s stance clear, the CM is trying to avoid political opportunism.

Only after getting the full report will it be submitted to the SC, central forest and environmental department, and the central high power committee.

Help desks have been set up in 115 panchayats to settle the issue of the buffer zone, which will be reserve area for 1 km around protected forests. The people can check the report of Kerala Remote Sensing and Environment Center for the places in buffer zone and the maps. They can file complaint at the help desk if their homes or buildings are not included.

The CM said that the satellite survey report is not final and added that some are trying to cause discrimination in the name of buffer zone.