Panaji: Goa government on Friday announced that all the future projects to be approved under its land use plan or conversion of zones would be allowed only if they are “green buildings.”
State Town and Country Planning Minister Vijai Sardesai told a gathering of professionals organised by Confederation of Indian Industries and Indian Green Building Council that State would be the first one to have exclusive green building projects as a part of its planning in future.
While instructing the Town and Country Planning Department officials not to allow any projects which are not adhering to “green code”, the minister said that from today onwards all the future projects under Regional Plan or planned to be constructed after conversion of land has to be green.
Sardesai said that this code however will not be applicable for individuals who are constructing their houses in the State.
“We will be the first state in the country which will make green buildings not only fashionable but compulsory. If you want to take forward this green moment you have to make it compulsory,” he said addressing the professionals.
Sardesai said that the green buildings can come up only when they are made compulsory as cost of having such structure is 17 per cent more than the non-green structure.
The minister said upto now the focus of government was on incentivizing the green buildings, where through rebate on tax or FAR.
Sardesai said that the government projects including upcoming building for Mopa Airport in North Goa will also have to be approved under green certification.
“We will not allow the building for Mopa airport to come up if it does not fit in green building code. The Governmnet buildings has to be green in future,” he said.
He said that Indian Green Building Council and Tata Engineering Research Institute will be consulted to finalise the green code for the projects in Goa.
