Case of Delhi
- Delhi lies in seismic zone IV which is the 2nd most active zone in India.
- Master plan perspective 2001 nowhere recognises the fact that Delhi lies high seismic zone.
- In the past Earthquake have been of the magnitude around 6.5 on Richter scale.
- More than 30-lakh population is living in JJ clusters and around 2 lakh houses reported kutcha in 1991·
- With more than 50% houses built privately there has been absolute laxity in enforcement of seismic building codes.
- Rate of population growth has been more than 50% and 85% population lives in high density areas @ 22399 persons per sq km.
- 54% of houses have areas less than 50 sq m and 38% have less than 30 sq m. That means availability of space is less than 5 sq m per person.
- In terms of material of housing 42% houses are Built with RCC roof and 72% walls in brick. Only22% are in frames. 32% of houses are built in stone. In case of low income housing 72% is mason built.
- Maximum expenditure in low income housing is on food (70-80%) rent is 1 - 6 %
- A study conducted by one of the NGOS on an area of mixed group low income housing with areas 25 sqms, 12.5 sq m and JJ cluster. It was found that if an earthquake of magnitude of 7 strikes Delhi as predicted, based on the analysis and history in the past, damage to buildings in such a small cluster of 9700 households would cost around Rs.471 million for reconstruction alone (average 50000/unit)·
- And working on same pattern for 38% housing (which are less than 30 sqms) of Delhi in similar situation i.e around 18.62 lakhs X0.38=7.08 lakhs (1991 census) would be damaged costing around Rs 350000 lakhs or Rs 35oo crores.
- Therefore annual plan of constructing 7 lakh houses could be easily exhausted in Delhi alone.
What we have done so far
HUDCO is the only organisation in the country that has been concentrating on these issues simultaneously for decades together.
Apart from its routine operations of techno-financing housing and basic infrastructure.
- It promotes disaster resistant techniologies for human habitat.
- It adopts villages to demonstrate how to go about building shelters with simplicity to safety, through simple illustration of Dos and Donts in disaster prone areas.
- It provides knowledge on spatial planning and design in disaster prone areas keeping traditional, socio-cultural styles intact.
- Imparts ski;lls in improvising traditional building techniques using local materials to masons and artisans through its network of building centres allover the country.
- Conducts workshops to train engineers, architects, builders, administrators and project managers the importance of using safe technologies for construction of buildings at its Human Settlement Management Institute at Delhi.
- Funds rehabilitation projects needing reconstruction and retrofitting of housing and infrastructure.
- So far HUDCO has funded reconstruction / rehabilitation of 1,911,368 dwelling units in the country with a loan amount of Rs 1342.37 crores in disaster affected areas.
- Its total operations in housing loan commitments have been Rs.17116 crores.
In order to meet the demand of housing Govt of India has laid a two million housing programme in which 7lakhs of dus are to be constructed in urban areas. Requiring an investment of Rs 4000 crores annually.
As it is, this is a very ambitious plan if seen in perspective of the resources required and the capacity of the states to take up this challenge.
However, if we take cue from a pattern of risks in urban situations like Delhi, there is tremendous need to reconsider programme of govt. of India in terms of not only building 7 lakh new houses annually but strengthening part of the exchequer of rehabilitation in case of disasters. An Example of Delhi can be seen for demonstration of how one catatosrophe in Delhi can reverse the development plan of whole of the nation
What we can do
- We can train communities right from grass root level to professional and administrators how to build safe shelters, retrofit them and make them disaster resistant programmes.
- We can adopt villages and townships to demonstrate environmentally, healthy and safe villages and townships.
- We can extend our hand to fund rehabilitation programmes under the Government of India's schemes.
What we need to do
- With vulnerability atlas in place, we need to undertake microzonation of each disaster prone area identified in the atlas.
- We need to set up a techno-legal regime by enacting laws for enforcement of codal provisions for disaster resistant techniques
- We need to set up a techno-financial regime.
- We need to disseminate as far as possible, message of preparedness.
- Prepare Disater Mitigation Plans and Community Action Plans.