Tamil Nadu - Chennai   

Suitable technology for tsunami shelters sought

Special Correspondent

They must be cost-effective, energy efficient and environment-friendly, say speakers at national workshop Guidelines evolved by Anna University and agencies working in the field were being followed while constructing the shelters

CHENNAI: In the post-tsunami reconstruction phase, it is important that appropriate technologies are developed for building cost-effective, energy efficient and environment-friendly shelters and habitats, speakers at a national workshop on `Appropriate building material and technology in tsunami reconstruction' held here on Tuesday said.

The workshop was jointly organised by the Tamil Nadu Government, the World Bank's Emergency Tsunami Reconstruction Project, the Asian Development Bank's Tsunami Emergency Assistance Project, the United Nations Development Programme, the Tamil Nadu Tsunami Resource Centre and the U.N. Recovery Team.

In his inaugural address, C.V. Sankar, Officer on Special Duty, Government of Tamil Nadu, said post-tsunami reconstruction was essentially a public-private partnership.

Community participation vital

Guidelines evolved by Anna University and agencies working in the field were being followed while constructing the shelters. It was necessary to "fill the gaps in technology'' and use local material for cost-effectiveness. Community participation was also vital.

Didier Trebucq of the U.N. Recovery Team said, "The aim [of the workshop] is to try and analyse various technologies for disaster-resistant materials in building tsunami shelters and evolving various models that can be used in the construction of habitats."

Capacity building

A.R. Shantakumar, adviser, UNDP, said, "We will assist in capacity building of various agencies involved in the reconstruction of safe shelters and better habitation."

Experts from Auroville Earth Institute, Indian Plywood Industries Research and Training Institute and National Bamboo Mission spoke on the use of materials such as compressed stabilised earth blocks, rat-trap bond walls and filler slabs in constructing tsunami shelters.

Participants included government officials, NGOs, members of SHGs and donor agencies.

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