The ‘little Mayor’ had some value-additions to propose for every suggestion made at the Corporation council while the ‘Deputy Mayor’ was quite strict on time management. The ‘standing committee chairpersons’ pitched in on the discussions while the ‘councillors’ tapped on their desks in approval. All the while, the real Mayor and councillors listened in awe as their much-younger versions carried out an effective and disciplined council meeting with elan.
“We are so proud that we could represent our schools and use our ideas for the betterment of society. We are happy that the Corporation is ready to listen to us and consider our suggestions,” Neneh Feren, a Standard 9 student of St. Joseph’s Anglo-Indian Girls Higher Secondary School in the city, the first ‘Children’s Mayor’ of Kozhikode, said.
The Kozhikode Corporation has formed a Children’s Council on July 12 to create awareness about the functioning of a Democratic body. On its first meeting on Friday, Neneh Feren was elected as the Children’s Mayor and Abhirami C.P. of GVHSS Nadakkavu as the Deputy Mayor.
Parvathi Surya of Providence Girls HSS took up the role of ‘Corporation Secretary’ while Malavika K.M. of BEM Girls Higher Secondary School (Tax and Appeals), Nayana S. of St. Vincent Colony School (Welfare), Haya Harool of Medical College Campus school (Education and Sports), Arathi V. Pramod of St. Michaels GHSS (Public Works), Drupad K. of St. Joseph’s HSS (Health), Abdul Nafih P.T. of Himayathul Islam School (Town Planning) and Arthana Sree of GHSS, Parayancheri (Development) were elected as ‘standing committee chairpersons’.
After a swearing in ceremony in the morning, the first official session of the Children’s Council was held in the afternoon where the newly elected councillors put forth their views and suggestions for the betterment of the ‘City of Literature’ initiative.
The Children’s Council will continue to meet throught the year and will make suggestions on important matters under the Corporation’s purview.
