Efficient waste management, employment generation and infrastructure development top Neyyattinkara municipality’s to-do list: W.R. Heeba

Building a better waste management mechanism and exploring the development opportunities offered by the Vizhinjam International Seaport top the to-do list of the newly-formed LDF-led municipal council in Neyyattinkara, according to municipal chairperson W.R. Heeba.

The council headed by Ms. Heeba – a CPI(M) councillor who is on her second stint as chairperson – has assumed office at a time when Neyyattinkara is poised to see big changes on the infrastructure development front.

“We have several projects lined up. There are also some that would see continuation from the previous council’s term. Nevertheless, proper waste management is the most important on the list. How we can capitalise on the development opportunities offered by the Vizhinjam port is another area requiring attention,” Ms. Heeba, who represents the Thavaravila ward, said. With respect to the port, the focus needs to be on initiatives that generate employment opportunities, she said, adding that the municipality would also like to explore the possibilities in port-related infrastructure such as godowns.

“If a town like Neyyattinkara should progress, we need to prioritise such initiatives. We have to ensure that when the town expands, there should also be new job opportunities,” she said.

The CPI(M)-led LDF had retained its grip on Neyyattinkara by winning 25 of the 46 seats in the municipal council. A familiar face in the municipality, Ms. Heeba had been the chairperson in the 2015-2020 council.

Speaking about the needs of the municipality, Ms. Heeba rues the lack of new playgrounds for the young people. She also underlines the need to open one or two new Pakalveedu (elderly daycare centres).

The continued development of the newly-inaugurated crematorium of the municipality will be another area of focus. “It was a major initiative, identifying the property and implementing it. That part is over. Now we have to operationalise the facility,” she said. Other concerns and priorities include the land-related impacts of the National Highway expansion and the improvement of the Akshaya Shopping Complex.

The newly-elected council is awaiting the elections of the members of the various standing committees, which the State Election Commission has scheduled from January 5 to 7 across local bodies in the State.