Maharashtra to encourage 'green' industrial projects

Mumbai -  The Maharashtra government is taking measures to boost green and environment friendly industrial projects in the state to protect the environment, an official said Friday. "Projects with an environment dimension to them would be given preference in terms of expedited government clearance and other non-financial benefits," said state Environment  Secretary Valsa Nair-Singh.

Addressing a conference on Green Co - The Next Wave for Sustaining Growth, organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), she noted that the central government will be funding   state governments based on Environment Protection Index, constituted by the Planning Commission, subject to the state government spending 2 percent of the funds on  environment-related activities.

In addition to promoting eco-friendly industrial and other construction projects, she said the state government provides funds to foster research in environment protection and sponsors  M.Phil and PhD candidates.

CII Maharashtra state council chairperson, Leena Nair of Hindustan Unilever Ltd reiterated the need to focus on maintaining inter-generational equity.

"Our resource consumption should not add burden to our next generation. If we consume at the rate we are doing, we need five planets to sustain over the next 100 years," Nair said.

She informed that the CII has been driving several initiatives in the area of green buildings and climate change and developed a Code for Ecologically Sustainable Business Growth, which  has attracted voluntary commitment from 450 organisations.