The Department of Town and Country Planning has come out with a tentative development concept for Kozhikode district to maintain its traditional outlook as a trade centre as well as enhance other sectors including agriculture, service and emerging IT industry.
An analysis consisting of hierarchy of settlements and nodes, connectivity network and activity pattern in the recently published District Spatial Plan sought to bring out the required spatial structure for Kozhikode. Thus three development zones have been delineated in the district as per the tentative development concept framed for the purpose, Regional Town Planner K.V. Abdul Malik said.
Any activity that causes deforestation of any kind would not be permitted in the ecologically important zone demarcated in the eastern part of the district. The zone has been classified on the basis of the report of the Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel constituted by the Ministry of Environment and Forests.
Afforestation, plantation, cultivation of crops like rubber, pineapple, and pepper are found most suitable in the non-forest areas of this zone. However, forest-related activities such as eco-tourism, aromatic and medicinal plant cultivation, small-scale industry based on natural resources and soil conservation could be promoted. Deforestation, wet land reclamation, industrialisation and urbanisation should be restricted, he said.
Mr. Malik said that suitable restrictions should be implemented on beaches, waterbodies, wetlands and the rich estuarine ecosystem in the district. These areas with mangroves, river front, islands and paddy fields have been demarcated as environmentally sensitive areas and assigned special status with a view to protecting the biodiversity. The north and south-east villages bordering the district have more concentration of such areas.
Instances of heavy toxic metal pollution in the Kottuli wetland area were found though the Ministry of Environment and Forests had approved a programme for Kottuli area six years ago. The portion of the wetland that remained relatively undamaged is located to the east of Eranhipalam-Arayidathupalam stretch of Canolly Canal and comes under the Coastal Regulation Zone (I) of the notification.
The middle portions of the district where agriculture and allied activities are dominant have been delineated as agro allied economic zone. This zone is suitable for cultivation of crops like paddy, coconut, arecanut and rubber. Animal husbandry activities, agro-based industries; agricultural supporting facilities, wholesale markets and warehouse are also suitable for this zone.
SEZ mooted
In order to tap the blue economy, the service activities of the higher order settlements such as in Kozhikode Corporation, a special economic zone has been proposed in the district besides second order settlements along the coastal corridor and along the west-south east corridor.
These settlements provide service facilities, and major developments in the district are also in this zone. This zone is suitable for new large, medium-scale industries, industrial parks and special economic activities.
