Kerala govt mulls promotion of 'green habitat' concept    

Arrow Greentech | Production operations will be recommenced at Ankleshwar plant as Gujarat Pollution Control Board (GPCB) issued interim revocation order. (Image: arrowgreentech.com)

Amid concerns about unscientific construction practices, the Kerala government is considering promoting a 'green habitat' concept giving thrust to eco-friendly and reusable building materials, natural water storage and solid waste management.

Haritha Keralam Mission, the state-run agency which envisages a clean and green state, has initiated an initial round of discussion with various experts and stakeholders in this regard, official sources said.

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

The buildings, under the concept, are planned to be designed in such a way that natural sunlight and wind would be used to maximum and the usage of electricity reduces to the minimum.

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

Not only the danger posed by unscientific construction practices, but also the scarcity of conventional building materials is a reason to draw up an alternative green habitat concept, Vice Chairman and CEO of Haritha Keralam Mission,  TN Seema said.

She said the programme is at the concept level only and discussions are going on. "Our objective is to introduce maximum eco-friendly and reusable materials in the construction.. For example, bamboo can be used for construction.. But, its usage is not common in our state," Seema told PTI.

Waste waster, especially the kitchen and toilet water, can be recycled and reused for watering plants in individual houses and flat complexes, she said. Roof-top solar plants can help bring down the dependency on electricity, Seema, also an ex-Rajya Sabha MP, said.

However, she said the green habitat concept cannot be implemented through laws alone. "Laws and legislation alone are not enough to implement the green habitat concept.. A thorough grassroot level campaign is inevitable to create awareness about this among public and inculcate a green culture among them," she said.

Besides individual houses and flat complexes and other buildings, efforts would be taken up to bring government offices also under the initiative, the official added. CPI(M)-led LDF government in the southern state has been promoting green concepts in waste managements, conservation of ground water sources, rainwater harvesting and organic farming with people's support.

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