Relief Work in Andaman & Nicobar Islands

Andaman Island
April 10, 2006

M. A. Math will build 100 houses in Bambooflat, South Andaman, as part of its tsunami relief-and-rehabilitation project. A memorandum of understanding to this effect was signed this week between the Ashram and the Andaman & Nicobar authorities. The expected cost of constructing the houses is Rs. five crores. M. A. Math is the first NGO to make an offer to construct houses on the island.

"The construction is unique to the islands, considering the local customs and traditions," says Brahmachari Narayana Chaitanya, overseeing tsunami-relief work in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. "Moreover the islands are in high-risk zone of seismic activity. Thus the design of the houses must conform to local customs and traditions and also be earthquake-proof. M. A. Math is constructing 50 twin-type houses of 1000 square feet each. Some of the houses are on stilts and some on plinth."

The houses will be constructed with a galvanized-steel structure to avoid corrosion. Timber planks and processed bamboo board will be used for the external internal walls, respectively. The flooring in the stilt-type houses will be of processed bamboo board on structural steel work. These designs have been developed by CPWD Chennai. The ready-to-occupy homes come with state-of-the-art electrical fittings, including four fans and tube lights with provisions for fridge, mixer, colour television and telephone.

In fact, all the hardware materials for construction are to be sourced from mainland India - an estimated 1000 tons of material. A prototype house is under construction in Chennai.

-- Dass

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