Villages marked as forest in Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary satellite survey, ESZ in map

Confusion prevails over eco sensitive zones in the forest fringes of Wayanad even after the publication of the map submitted by the state forest department to the Centre.

Many enclosure villages located inside the Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary (WWS) under Noolpuzha panchayat are demarcated as eco sensitive zone (ESZ) in the map published on Thursday. Adding to the confusion, many of these enclosure villages are designated as forest areas in the satellite survey.

“It is totally confusing.Four of our wards (1, 2, 3 and 12) in Vadakkadad area are entirely missing in the satellite survey as these areas are classified as forest.

But in the map prepared by the forest department, they are shown as ESZ,” panchayat president Sheeja Satheesh said.