Preamble

[Translation in English of the “2003-ലലെ കകേരള വനനം (പരരിസരിതരി ശശാസ്ത്രപരമശായരി ദുർബലെമശായ ഭൂപ്രകദേശങ്ങളുലടെ നരികരിപ്തമശാക്കലനം കേശാരര്യകേർതൃതതനം നടെതരിപനം) ആകക" published under the authority of the Governor.]

ACT 21 OF 2005

THE KERALA FOREST (VESTING AND MANAGEMENT OF ECOLOGICALLY FRAGILE LANDS) ACT, 2003*

An Act to provide for the vesting in the Government of ecologically fragile lands in the State of Kerala and for the management of such lands with a view to maintaining ecological balance and conserving the bio-diversity.

Preamble.—WHEREAS the earth’s biological resources with their intrinsic ecological, genetic, economic, social, cultural, scientific, educational, recreational and aesthetic values are global assets and public trust vital to the sustained economic and social development, maintenance of ecological balance and the very existence of humanity;

AND WHEREAS the fundamental requirement for the conservation of biological diversity is the insitu conservation of ecosystems and natural habitats and the maintenance and recovery of viable populations of species in their natural surroundings;

AND WHEREAS the tropical forests in the western ghats, which has been declared a bio-diversity hot-spot by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources, are very rich repositories of bio-diversity extremely susceptible to rapid irreversible degradation;

Received the assent of the President on the 25th day of April,2005 and published in the Kerala Extraordinary Gazette No.1296 dated 8th June,2005.

AND WHEREAS it has become inevitable to conserve effectively the ecologically fragile lands, minimising the reduction or degradation of these ecosystems and biological diversity therein, which evolved through millions of years;

AND WHEREAS it is considered necessary to manage such lands in an integrated and uniform manner within their ecological boundaries in accordance with the management plans based on sound scientific principles.

BE it enacted in the Fifty-fourth year of the Republic of India, as follows:—