Former Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam on Sunday urged the Central and State governments to take steps towards withdrawing a Supreme Court's direction that every protected forest, national park and wildlife sanctuary in the country should mandatorily have an eco-sensitive zone (ESZ) of minimum 1 km, from their demarcated boundaries.
In a statement, Mr. Panneerselvam contended: "The Supreme Court judgment has affected people living in hilly areas along the boundaries of forests, who have been dependent only on forest resources for years. They are pained [by the fact] that the Tamil Nadu government has not taken any step in this regard."
Those affected by the judgment in the Nilgiris district have been involved in protests and hunger-strike, contending that their livelihood was being severely affected, and attempting to catch the attention of the Central and State governments, he said. "They expect the Central and State governments to move pleas in the court and submit affidavits in their support. Both the governments have the responsibility and duty," he added.
