---
title: "Kerala’s Hilly Districts Brace for Land Restrictions Under New Federal Ecology Draft"
url: https://projectchintan.com/article/kerala-s-hilly-districts-brace-for-land-restrictions-under-new-federal-ecology-d-mggs9
publisher: Project Chintan
author: Project Chintan Newsroom
section: India
published: 2026-08-01T04:57:42.000Z
modified: 2026-08-01T07:01:25.290Z
language: en-IN
---

# Kerala’s Hilly Districts Brace for Land Restrictions Under New Federal Ecology Draft

Farmer groups and local leaders in Kerala are demanding urgent government intervention following the Union government's latest draft notification on Western Ghats conservation. The proposal designates nearly 10,000 square kilometers as ecologically sensitive areas, threatening inhabited lands.

## Key takeaways

- The Union government's seventh draft notification designates 9,993.7 sq km in Kerala as Ecologically Sensitive Areas.
- Nearly 1,500 sq km of the proposed ESA zone currently consists of active farmlands and human settlements.
- Farmer groups are demanding the release of spatial map data to verify boundary lines at the panchayat level.
- A 60-day consultation window remains before the draft becomes a final, legally binding notification.
- The Idukki district is most heavily affected, with 51 out of 68 revenue villages included in the draft list.

## Conflict Intensifies Over Western Ghats Conservation Boundaries

The Union government’s seventh draft notification regarding the Western Ghats ecologically sensitive area (ESA) has reignited long-standing tensions in Kerala’s highland regions. Released on July 27, the document identifies 56,825.7 sq km nationally for environmental protection, with 9,993.7 sq km located within Kerala. Local advocacy groups warn that the current demarcation includes roughly 1,500 sq km of residential zones and agricultural land, totaling approximately 3.7 lakh acres.

## Detailed Mapping Reveals Expansion Across 131 Villages

Unlike previous iterations, this latest draft provides a granular breakdown of 131 villages across 12 districts, including Idukki, Wayanad, Palakkad, and Thiruvananthapuram. The Idukki Land Freedom Movement (ILFM) reports that 51 of the 68 revenue villages in Idukki district are now classified under the ESA category. Chairperson Rasak Chooravelil has called for an emergency all-party meeting, urging the State to challenge these boundaries before the final notification is codified.
- Affected districts include Idukki, Ernakulam, Kannur, Kollam, Kottayam, Kozhikode, Malappuram, Palakkad, Pathanamthitta, Thiruvananthapuram, Thrissur, and Wayanad.
- The current draft follows a decade of revisions, starting from the original 2013 proposal which covered 13,108 sq km.
- A 60-day window is currently open for public feedback and government revisions before the designations become final.

## Demands for Transparency and Spatial Data

The Kerala Independent Farmers Association (KIFA) has labeled this period as the final opportunity to shield human habitations from restrictive environmental laws. Alex Ozhukayil, chairperson of KIFA, is demanding the public release of spatial map data submitted to the central government. Access to these maps would allow local panchayats to verify precise boundaries and identify discrepancies where farms or homes are wrongly categorized.

Former MP Joyce George noted that while political intervention in 2018 successfully reduced the proposed area from 13,108 sq km to 9,973.7 sq km, the new list introduces newly bifurcated villages that require fresh scrutiny. Organizations such as the High Range Samrakshana Samithy (HRSS) maintain that peace in the high ranges is impossible until farmlands are explicitly exempted. Fr. Sebastian Kochupurakal, general convener of the HRSS, stated that the fundamental threat to local livelihoods remains unresolved despite multiple draft cycles.

Source: The Hindu — National

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Canonical: https://projectchintan.com/article/kerala-s-hilly-districts-brace-for-land-restrictions-under-new-federal-ecology-d-mggs9
Reported from: The Hindu — National