Kozhikode is one of the fast growing cities in Kerala with a combination of traditional fervor and modern constructions. But the unscientific building culture and poor environment protection, the development has become a hazard to residents as well as tourists.
A foreign tourist who was walking along Palayam near Kozhikode Railway Station stopped at the signboard at Mele Palayam junction and asked his Keralite aid, ‘What is written on the board in your language?’
The aid replied, “Mêlé Palayam, the location/road name.”
A surprised tourist, who came to the city first time, said sorry to his companion and added that he mistook it, as a spot for dumping garbage.
This is just one out of many such events encircling Kozhikode city regarding its poor garbage management. While it is a very difficult task to dispose garbage in an hourly basis in a fast growing city like Kozhikode, still, the corporation authorities have failed to run its routine schedule properly.
The mechanism of garbage disposal has been widely affected and Resident’s Associations took the issue before the concerned departments.
Traffic congestion, monsoon blockade, unscientific drainages, polluted surroundings and poor public sanitation facilities are the major setback of an emerging Calicut city.
While blessed with major historic and cultural monuments and places of tourist interest; the city has been swelling with unimaginable town planning and negligence. The greatest contradiction is; one side the investment in health sector is booming in multi billion crores. Other side unhealthy environment is taking hold. Totally the Zamorin’s city, once famous for its greenery and prosperous enlightenment is in a near mess situation.
Once the monsoon shower turns active, low lying areas of the city would be filled with contaminated water flowing from side way drainages and transportation would be badly hit. The bottleneck situation affects the free move of the whole community. Decades long waiting for remedial measures to tackle the rain related obstacles is still remain unchecked.
Environmental activists and city dwellers have raised the issues many times and there are pending proposals for a clean city that to be implemented to save the city from various shortcomings.
There are Wi-Fi bus stops at Mananchira surrounds, quite contrary to the prevailing situations there.
The frontage of the Wi-Fi bus stop nearby Government Training College and the bus waiting spot, in front of the Income Tax Office is pathetic because these locations surrounded with rain water for many days along with other crowded areas of the city. Passengers face trouble for getting in and getting down buses from these places due to filthy water spread around half portion of the road. Similar situation exists nearby Sports Council District Office and in front of the BSNL Office at Mananchira.