Keralam has sought exclusion of farmlands and human settlements from ESA: Minister

Agriculture Minister T. Siddique The Keralam government has submitted a report to the Centre seeking to exclude farm lands and human settlements from the Ecologically Sensitive Area (ESA) list, Agriculture Minister T. Siddique has said.Addressing the media at Kuttikkanam in Idukki, Keralam, on Thursday (October 8, 2026), the Minister said the government would make every effort to get the revised list accepted. He added that, if necessary, State representatives would travel to New Delhi to press the Centre to approve Keralam’s demands regarding the ESA.The Minister announced that the government would take steps to provide 100% compensation to farmers who suffered crop losses due to wild animal attacks. A total of ₹110 crore in pending farmer compensation dating back to 2021 would be disbursed starting in the final week of October 2026.He said that measures would be taken to ensure better prices for agricultural produce.The Minister inaugurated several projects implemented by the Agriculture department and the State Horticulture Mission at Kuttikkanam as part of the State government’s 100-day action plan. According to officials, these included the secondary spice processing unit of the Peerumade Development Society and the primary spice processing unit of Evergreen Cardamom Dryers and Spices, Mariyapuram.Mr. Siddique emphasised ongoing initiatives to bring Keralam’s agricultural goods to national and global markets. “Along with production, the procurement, processing, branding, and marketing of produce are crucial components of the agricultural sector,” he said.Subsidies distributedDuring the event, the Minister distributed subsidies to the tune of ₹35 lakh to the secondary spice processing unit of the Peerumade Development Society and ₹12.25 lakh to the primary unit of Evergreen Cardamom Dryers and Spices.He also felicitated Mar Mathew Arackal, founder-director of the Peerumade Development Society. Idukki MLA Roy K. Paulose, Udumbanchola MLA Senapathi Venu, Peerumade MLA Cyriac Thomas, and Peerumade Development Society Patron Mar Jose Pulikkal were present. Published - October 08, 2026 08:05 pm IST