AHMEDABAD: Picture this: a bountiful garden atop your terrace, solar panels humming with sustainable energy, or the subtle murmur of an underground tank collecting rainwater. In return for embracing these green endeavours, you will get a 10% rebate in your annual property tax if all goes according to the civic body’s plan.
The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) has prepared a ‘GreenBlueYellow Roof’ (GBY Roof) incentive scheme to encourage owners of independent houses, like a rowhouse, bungalow, or tenement, to adopt eco-friendly practices. Sources said that the draft for the scheme will be tabled for discussion during the standing committee meeting scheduled on December 7.
According to sources, the scheme will enable owners to conserve water through rainwater harvesting, use green energy by installing solar roof panels, and reduce air-conditioning as a terrace garden will keep the rooms cooler during summer.
However, sources said that installing solar systems and constructing underground tanks to harvest rainwater has been made mandatory under the state government’s General Development Control Regulations (GDCR) guidelines. The development plans of an independent house should have these facilities, but the AMC has done nothing to implement this rule, added sources.
According to sources, this scheme is meant to encourage owners of older houses to set up these energy-saving resources.
