Maharashtra government offices will go green

In an effort to reduce its carbon footprint, the Environment Department of Maharashtra government has created a list of instructions that may soon become mandatory for all government offices. The list will be put up before the state cabinet for approval tomorrow.

Some of the changes include reducing use of paper, a complete ban on plastic at workplace, banning firecrackers at government functions and avoiding the use of official sirens other than for ambulances.

All government offices will also shift to energy efficient tube lights, bulbs and fan regulators that have been given four and five stars by the Bureau of Energy Efficiency. The department has also suggested that employees should opt for car-pooling as far as possible since commuting contributes to 90 per cent of carbon footprint.