The Union Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) has written to the State government seeking a verification of the cadastral-level mapping carried out by government agencies to ascertain the extent of Ecologically Sensitive Areas (ESAs) in the State.

A letter from the MoEF regional office in Bangalore, addressed to the Additional Chief Secretary, Department of Environment, sought ‘random sampling ground truthing’ of the ESA demarcated by the Government of Kerala by verifying at least 25 per cent of the 123 villages demarcated as ESA.