A comprehensive State- and district-wide listing of heritage sites is required in Kerala, Janaki Nair, lead member, Kerala Urban Policy Commission, has said.

She was speaking at the policy session ‘People, Culture and Heritage,’ at the Kerala Urban Conclave here on Friday.

She stressed the need to ensure that the heritage of cities was preserved as cities were being made smart.

“There is a tussle between those who wish to preserve and develop. There is no meeting ground. There is no value for older materials or older look. There is a question of taste here,” she said. Maintaining that this could not be changed overnight, she stressed the need to appreciate heritage structures.

The session saw deliberations on the need to ensure that urbanisation was inclusive, and that cities should be planned in a holistic way, without affecting the historical and cultural wealth of the land. Experts pointed out that cultural heritage played an important role in the evolution of cities.

Ms. Janaki highlighted the need to ensure the participation of local communities in the heritage movement. Conservation and preservation must involve people and communities in a meaningful way. It should cater to the local needs and challenges and also help promote businesses in the neighbourhood, she said.

Alison Barrett MBE, Country Director, British Council India, noted that climate crisis was a cultural as well as an educational crisis.

“We have to take individual responsibilities and find ways to work with people to change behaviours, practices, and approaches. We need to focus on a people-centric approach, which can bring about some change,” she said.

John V. Samuel, Additional Secretary, Local Self Government department; Sonal Mithal, Adjunct Associate Professor, CEPT University, Ahmedabad; Kalpana Viswanath, co-founder of Safetipin, a New Delhi-based NGO, and Mathew Varghese, Assistant Professor, Mahatma Gandhi University, attended.