Kerala govt offices to get 'green' tag

This is part of an eco-friendly initiative of the state government

the offices of government institutions and public sector undertakings in Kerala will soon turn 'green', thanks to an eco-friendly initiative of a state-run agency.

Those offices, which avoid using plastic and disposable items in day-to-day activities and encourage the use of articles that can be reused and recycled, would be declared as green, Haritha Keralam Mission officials said.

The distribution of the green certification to such institutions would be held on January 26, they said. Haritha Keralam Mission is an ambitious program envisaged by the state government to make the state clean, protect its water sources and soil.

Steps have already been made to identify such offices that are eligible for the green tag and certification, Mission district coordinator, D Humayun said here. As part of the initiative, green protocol committees have been formed in offices and awareness programs are being conducted, he said.

The 'green office' would strictly follow the ban on plastic and disposable articles, removal of unused furniture and e-waste and installation of waste treatment facilities for the disposal of organic and inorganic waste and introduction of eco-friendly utensils.

Such offices would also have features such as organic vegetable gardens and facilities to conserve water and electricity. The green offices would be dust-free and toilet-friendly also, the Mission officials added. Based on the reports submitted by the respective offices, the green audit review committee would visit the offices directly and inspect the facilities before declaring them as green offices, they added.