Plan for eco-friendly city on the anvil

A comprehensive plan for the transformation of the capital district into a green haven is being devised by a team led by District Sub-Collector Divya S. Iyer, who is also the district-level cell co-ordinator of the State government’s Haritha Keralam project.

Over and above making the capital green and beautiful, the plan intends to inspire a love for nature and agriculture among the citizens, Dr. Iyer said.

To achieve this, the plan will focus on three primary components in the short run, including the conservation and rejuvenation of water resources, spread of organic farming and promotion of sanitation and hygiene, she said.

Renovation of ponds and wells, recharging of ground water, and rainwater harvesting will be undertaken as water-resource related activities. The organic farming drive will promote the cultivation of fruits and vegetables in homesteads in order to reduce the dependence on markets for them.

Further, the planting of saplings will also be undertaken. The Suchitwa Mission will lead the sanitation and hygiene activities.

The implementation of these goals will be through the local bodies, Dr. Iyer said. Decisions regarding the nature and scale of the activities to be undertaken will be made at the grass-roots level, ensuring that each locality can implement plans that have been customised to suit their needs.

The long-term vision of the project, on the other hand, is to create a culture of eco-friendly living, Dr. Iyer said.

Steps such as planting trees and reducing waste should be taken not out of fear of climate change or pollution, but out of love for nature, she said, adding it is such an attitude that the project aims at developing among the people.

A detailed blue-print for the implementation of the short-term and long-term goals of the project will be submitted to the District Collector by the end of this month, she said.