The Hindu        07.01.2011

Kottayam municipality to discuss Development Plan

A development seminar, being organised by the Kottayam Municipal Council will be held here on Friday.

The seminar which envisages finalising the 25-year Development Plan for the town, will discuss projects taking into account the needs and scope of adjoining panchayats of Panachikkad and Vijayapuram and also of Kumaranallore and Nattakom, the two panchayats which have already been merged with the municipality.

According to Sunny Kallor, municipal chairman, the focus of the seminar would be on four major challenges faced by the urban body, ie., vehicular congestion, parking facilities, waste management and safe drinking water distribution.

The finalisation of the Development Plan consists of four stages, data collection, analysis, finalisation of a new development paradigm, region-wise discussions on the projects and finalisation of projects.

According to Mr. Kallor, the Town Planner's Office has already completed the socio-economic survey, the land utilization survey and secondary data collection. The traffic survey is progressing. The local-level discussions will be completed by January 31 so that the final report of the Development Plan could be submitted by March 31, he said.

K. M. Mani, MLA will inaugurate the seminar. V. N. Vasavan, MLA, will preside. K. C. Joseph, MLA, Municipal chairman Sunny Kallor and others will speak. Former Civil Aviation secretary Roy Paul will be the moderator.