North Paravur chairperson to seek public inputs on development priorities

Ramesh D. Kurup, the newly appointed chairperson of the North Paravur municipality, plans to hold a one-day seminar to gather public suggestions on the local body’s development priorities.

Mr. Kurup said the realignment of National Highway 66 could significantly alter the town’s social character. “After the realignment, NH 66 will no longer pass through the congested North Paravur town and will instead divert traffic away from it. This is likely to lead to the area developing into a residential zone, changing the face of the region. As such, we need a new development plan. To reimagine this growth, we will seek public inputs through the seminar,” he said.

Other key focus areas include improving waste management and promoting the municipality’s heritage and tourism potential. Between four and seven tonnes of waste are generated daily in the municipality. Outlining his priorities, Mr. Kurup said waste collection from households, which has been halted, will resume once a new solid waste treatment facility is set up. The facility, including a Material Collection Facility, is slated to come up at the Vedimara landfill site.

Elevating North Paravur to the status of a heritage town is another key goal, the chairperson said. Promoting heritage structures and centres in the municipality will be prioritised. “There are several heritage structures here that can be promoted to increase tourist footfall. With nearby Cherai beach being a popular destination, our focus will be to attract travellers visiting the beach region to our heritage centres,” he said.

Mr. Kurup said the new council would carry forward projects initiated by the previous council. Developing the nearly three-acre playground to promote sports among the community and remodelling the Dr. Ambedkar Park are also on the agenda.

Mr. Kurup said the first council meeting would discuss a detailed plan to address the stray dog population in the municipality. “We were pioneers in setting up an Animal Birth Control (ABC) centre and carrying out sterilisation. However, this had to be paused as the centre was located in the middle of the town and residents raised objections,” he said.

A new ABC centre will be set up, and the local body plans to restart sterilisation, microchipping and vaccination at the earliest. “The main reason for the rise in stray dog attacks here is irresponsible pet ownership. Many people abandon their pets after some time. These dogs are unprepared to survive on the streets or fend for food and often turn aggressive,” he said.