Disaster Resilient Housing

Originally posted via various e-Groups on 23 December 2013, Monday

I have seen that Odisha Think Tank has accepted the habitat development concept. I like to discuss some other factors for Disaster Resilient Housing. I have seen bamboo, cane and wooden structures for housing purpose in West Bengal, Assam and Andaman Islands, which are traditional form of disaster resilient houses. I like to omit the wooden structure from my suggestion here. Conservation of tree resources is the vital need all the time. So we should focus on "non-timber..." options for the affordability and other causes.

Within 5 years, a tradition can be generated all over coastal Odisha. Growing of Bamboo and Cane should be prioritized in Watershed development, Social Forestry and Livelihoods promotion projects. Heavy Rain, Cyclone or Flood will not kill the resident of Bamboo/Cane structure houses. And a thin coat of mud plaster can make the walls fire-resistant; and cyclone-resistant  and heavy rain/ flood-resistant.

In the roofing pattern, Govt. of Odisha should ban the paddy straw-based thatched roofing. I strongly recommend Khapar (a traditional roofing tile) model of South Odisha and West Odisha for roofing. The traditional artisans can be groomed in Coastal Odisha through exchange of technical knowledge from South and West.

In 2013 Nov-Dec, more than 20 persons already died in household level fire disasters. So a fire resilient policy is most in Odisha. Social Forestry should be re-emerged or nurtured by suggested HOUSING & DISASTER MANAGEMENT dept.

This is for brainstorming of think tanks. It can be elaborated by many experts in their own way at relevant forums.

Author is a Social Worker-turned-Journalist cum ICT specialist based at Bhubaneswar, India