This Belagavi slum is all set for a smart makeover 

While the concept of Smart Cities is gaining popularity across the country, Sagar Nagar slum area near Kanbargi village of Belagavi is all set to don a new and smart look.
The pre-fabricated houses will be rented out for D200 per month
The pre-fabricated houses will be rented out for D200 per month

 BELAGAVI : While the concept of Smart Cities is gaining popularity across the country, Sagar Nagar slum area near Kanbargi village of Belagavi is all set to don a new and smart look. No more will rickety and leaking huts be the identity of this slum and the dwellers of the impoverished neighbourhood now also need not go out to attend nature’s call.


Soon, introduction of ‘Mobile Residence’ is likely to change both the life and lifestyle of residents in Sagar Nagar slum. A social non-government organisation (NGO) has decided to launch the mobile houses in the area with an aim of providing hygienic living space and environment to the slum residents. While each fabricated house costs `1.25 lakh, it will be rented out to slum dwellers at a very nominal cost.


Each house will be of 12x15 sq ft size and they can be assembled and dismantled anytime. The structure will be made up of steel and it will be both anti-rust and heat resistant. While a couple of fibre glass sections on the roof will facilitate sunlight inside the mobile houses during daytime, solar power will light up the house after twilight. Each house will have a small kitchen and a hall which can double up as a bedroom.


“The existing huts are not safe and hygienic for the slum dwellers. Troubles pour during rains in the form of water leakages and dust easily enters their huts during summers.

Cooking food is also risky as major portion of the huts is generally made up of plastic and cloth. After conducting a survey, we thought that mobile residences would solve many problems of those residing in slums and hence decided to install them in Sagar Nagar area,” says Mahesh Jadhav, founder of Mahesh Foundation (MF).


He adds: “Initially, on a pilot basis, the foundation will be installing six mobile residences in Sagar Nagar slum area at a total cost of `7.5 lakh. For these six households, two toilets will be constructed at a cost of `12,000 each. On the condition of maintaining cleanliness, houses will be handed over to the dwellers. Just to make residents realise the worth of the mobile house, a negligible rent of `200 per month per house will be taken.”


Installing takes 3 days
Jadhav said installing each house takes a minimum of three days and works have begun in this regard since February 15. Flooring of the house has been kept one foot above the ground level to keep overflowing rain water at bay. The mobile residence is designed and funded by Selco Foundation. 


A special shed has been constructed to charge the electric lanterns that were distributed to the slum dwellers recently. During daytime, the residents hand over the electric lanterns to the power station in the shed. After charging, the lanterns are returned to them. Once charged, the electric lanterns can glow up to eight hours.


Mission cleanliness in slums
Mahesh Foundation had adopted Sagar Nagar slum area about four years ago. Since then, foundation members have been creating awareness on the importance of cleanliness among the slum dwellers. They also cleaned up the area on their own and established a clinic to provide primary healthcare to the residents. Distribution of mobile residence is just a step ahead in their cleanliness mission.

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