KOCHI: The civic authorities have proposed a greening drive as the city is fast losing its green cover for the mega development projects. As part of the drive to make the city greener and cleaner, the city corporation would grow one lakh trees. “The project will be implemented with the support of the forest department, educational institutions and residents’ associations. We will also seek services of experts to executed the project with an outlay of Rs 10 lakh earmarked in the budget,” said deputy mayor T.J. Vinod.
Another green proposal in the 2017-18 budget is ‘One Individual – One Tree’ under which each city resident will be encouraged to plant a sapling. Again, the corporation is planning to implement the programme with the support of residents associations and educational institutions. The budgetary support for the initiative is Rs 5 lakh. Centre for Heritage, Environment and Development (C-hed) will be entrusted with preparing an integrated environment management programme.
The budgetary provision for the initiative is Rs 5 lakh. Compliance with green protocol will be mandatory for marriage halls, convention centres and auditoriums. Rainwater harvesting, biogas and solar heaters will be made mandatory for all buildings having an area of more than 2,000 square feet. The civic body will also consider giving a tax exemption of 10 percent to the environment-friendly buildings, in consultation with the state government. The budget has also allocated Rs 40 lakh for setting up 500 biogas plants to selected beneficiaries. To conserve Mangalavanam, the green lung of the city, Rs 25 lakh has been earmarked.
