The city is growing and so are the challenges faced by it in the socio, cultural and environmental fronts.
The governmental agencies including local bodies, educational institutes and NGOs are doing their share to ensure the welfare and social development of the people.
But the residential associations have an increasingly important and complementing role to play in bringing quality to the lives of the city-dwellers, says Shamsudhin Mundoly, secretary of an umbrella organization of different residential forums in the city, Coordination of Calicut Residents’ Association (CCRA).
According to him, CCRA has chalked out a comprehensive plan aimed at improving the quality of life in the urban limits with the support and participation of its residents and other stakeholders. The CCRA has embarked on some projects including the ‘Clean N Green’ and ‘Onnanu Nammal’ campaigns aimed at sensitizing the public about the vital roles they have to play individually and collectively in ensuring an improved quality for their lives.
Conducting a talent-hunt in the art and cultural fields among the 350 plus residential associations under its fold in the city is another initiative from the CCRA with this objective in mind. “We have already started conducting the cultural competitions among the residents after grouping them into different zones,” said Mr. Shamsudhin.
While the ‘Clean N Green’ campaign will focus on developing an environment-friendly outlook and sensibility among the residents, the ‘Onnanu Nammal’ drive will lay its emphasis on moulding the members of the younger generation as law-abiding and honest citizens with care for values and etiquettes. “What we are planning is to organise different training sessions and awareness classes by experts in selected areas,” he said.
The residents will be offered classes at a common venue in different zones on subjects such as personality development, parenting, personal and community health, public speaking, cooking and career guidance.
All these programmes according to the CCRA sources will be carried out with complete support from the district administration and other local bodies.
Classes will also be offered to children, youths, housewives and elderly citizens separately on different topics as part of these projects.