The Hindu 30.08.2013
Coimbatore emulates Pune for eco-friendly measures
Carry out any of the following and you shall have the Coimbatore Corporation knocking on your door with tax concession: segregate waste, or harvest rainwater, or tap solar energy to power your house, or avoid selling and using plastic tumblers, carry bags, plastic-coated plates, etc.
The Corporation mooted this proposal at Thursday’s urgent council meeting and the council passed the resolution. The Corporation has taken a cue from the Pune Municipal Corporation, where such a scheme is successfully functioning.
Thursday’s resolution says that in order to encourage residents to avoid use of plastics, tap solar energy and segregate waste, the Corporation shall provide incentive, possibly a tax concession. The resolution, in the first part, targets traders and retail businessmen asking them to avoid buying plastic bags, cups, plates and selling the same to customers.
The second part targets residents and promoters of under-construction buildings to harvest rainwater. And if they do so, it says the Corporation will extend a tax concession. The third part asks residents and owners of commercial establishments to install solar energy systems in such a way that they save considerably on power charges.
And, the fourth part of the resolution asks residents to segregate waste and then hand over the segregated waste to the Corporation to avail of tax concession.
Talking to The Hindu after the passage of the resolution, Corporation Commissioner G. Latha says based on this resolution, the Corporation will devise rules and procedures on how to implement the proposal, for it should not be in contravention of the government’s laws.
Once the rules are drafted and in force, residents or traders can apply in writing stating what they have done. Based on the application, Corporation’s staff will inspect the place, ascertain the facts and then recommend tax concession.
As for segregation of waste, the Corporation is ready to train rag picker groups, professionalise them and then link them with residents to collect dry waste, says Ms. Latha, adding that the Corporation is ready to work with residents associations.
