Kerala govt mulls promotion of 'green habitat' concept    

Thiruvananthapuram, Dec 3 (PTI) Amid concerns aboutunscientific construction practises, the Kerala government isconsidering promoting a 'green ...

Thiruvananthapuram, Dec 3 (PTI) Amid concerns aboutunscientific construction practises, the Kerala government isconsidering promoting a 'green habitat' concept giving thrustto eco-friendly and reusable building materials, natural waterstorage and solid waste management.

Haritha Keralam Mission, the state-run agency whichenvisages a clean and green state, has initiated an initialround of discussion with various experts and stakeholders inthis regard, official sources here said.

An alternative and sustainable architecture practicewould be promoted in place of the existing conventional modeof construction under the 'green habitat' concept, they said.

The buildings, under the concept, are planned to bedesigned in such a way that natural sunlight and wind wouldbe used to maximum and the usage of electricity reduces to theminimum.

A rainwater harvesting or natural water storage systemwould be a sure feature of such 'green' buildings, where even kitchen and drainage water would be recycled and reused forother household purposes, a top Mission official said.

Not only the danger posed by unscientific constructionpractices, but also the scarcity of conventional buildingmaterials is a reason to draw up an alternative green habitatconcept, Vice Chairman and CEO of Haritha Keralam Mission,  TN Seema said.

She said the programme is at the concept level only anddiscussions are going on.

"Our objective is to introduce maximum eco-friendly andreusable materials in the construction.. For example, bamboocan be used for construction.. But, its usage is not common inour state," Seema told PTI.

Waste waster, especially the kitchen and toilet water,can be recycled and reused for watering plants in individualhouses and flat complexes, she said.

Roof-top solar plants can help bring down the dependencyon electricity, Seema, also an ex-Rajya Sabha MP, said.

However, she said the green habitat concept cannot beimplemented through laws alone.

"Laws and legislation alone are not enough to implementthe green habitat concept.. A thorough grassroot levelcampaign is inevitable to create awareness about this amongpublic and inculcate a green culture among them," she said.

Besides individual houses and flat complexes and otherbuildings, efforts would be taken up to bring governmentoffices also under the initiative, the official added.

CPI(M)-led LDF government in the southern state has beenpromoting green concepts in waste managements, conservation ofground water sources, rainwater harvesting and organic farmingwith people's support.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had recently said thatlaws would be framed to set apart a particular space for waterstorage in every new buildings being constructed in the state.

PTI LGKROH.

This is unedited, unformatted feed from the Press Trust of India wire.

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