THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Around 10,000 flood-affected people have benefited from shelter hubs set up with UNDP support in Kerala in the past eight months. These hubs were established in Wayanad, Pathanamthitta and Idukki districts in support with Life Mission, Kudumbashree, district administration and local self-government. Technical support was provided by the Habitat technology group headed by G Shankar.
These hubs provided technical support to over 7,000 people in repair and reconstruction of houses damaged in the 2018 floods. Over 3,000 masons, artisans, engineering students and construction contractors were trained in repair and construction of disaster-resilient and environmental-friendly houses and buildings.
Each hub had two civil engineers and one UN volunteer. These experts visited places where houses were damaged or destroyed and guided people on techniques and methods of environmental-friendly repair and reconstruction.
A compilation of environmental-friendly and disaster-resilient house designs were prepared under the programme. A directory of various construction materials, names of distributors and sellers and prices of items was also prepared.
Job Zachariah, UN coordinator, Kerala, said, “Shelter hub is a successful innovation. Life Mission project has already set up shelter hubs in 30 places. Techniques and methods on environment-friendly and disaster-resilient houses should be embedded in the curriculum of civil engineering and architecture courses in engineering colleges and diploma schools.”