|
Housing reconstruction in Andaman and Nicobar: Recommendations
Specific recommendations from the report Assessing Post-Tsunami Housing Reconstruction in Anadaman & Nicobar Islands: A People’s Perspective by SANE, TriNet, HLRN and
ActionAid:
1. Policy framework: A comprehensive policy framework is needed that clearly articulates objectives, eligibility criteria and entitlements of the affected families and lays guidelines for processes for selection of construction sites and execution of construction. It should also define the roles and responsibilities of the different agencies and stakeholders involved and outline the principles of community participation, the time frame and the grievance redressal mechanisms.
2. Transparency on entitlements: The list of families entitled to new homes should be shared, along with the eligibility criteria. A mechanism should be put in place to ensure inclusion of all families that qualify, irrespective of where they are staying temporarily.
3. Suitable location: The site should be finalised only after informed community consultations and agreement. Plot allotment should be immediately taken up to facilitate community inputs to their own houses. Knowing one’s own plot is an essential prerequisite for participation.
4. Information: All relevant information – house design, construction materials, cost, and the responsibilities of the administration and other agencies such as CPWD, APWD or contractors – must be communicated to the people, along with periodic reports on progress and decisions. An
information dissemination mechanism should be established and it should ensure that information reaches to people in their temporary settlements or other locations where they are staying. It should be in a format that people can understand.
5. Women’s property rights: The ownership title to homestead plot must be given to the family in the joint names of wife and husband and in particular cases, to the woman only.
6. Housing modifications: One design cannot fit all. Permits for extensions and modifications of the house should be given to the titleholder/s. House owner(s) should be empowered to make those changes at the time of design and construction.
7. Monitoring construction: Community must be empowered with specifications of materials and construction details so that they can monitor these. A formal mechanism must be established for monitoring quality and progress of construction which can provide periodic feedback to implementing authorities and convey the subsequent actions to the community.
8. Promoting local building practices: People should be given an option to build on their own as per their needs at appropriate locations of their preference. The process should be facilitated by providing financial and material assistance. The traditional materials and technologies that
communities have expressed a preference for should be promoted in the reconstruction plan. Note that traditional structures that people have been building performed well during earthquakes.
9. Environmental protection: Assessment should be made to understand the environmental impact of large construction contracts. There needs to be constant watch on various construction processes, particularly sand mining from the beaches, etc.
10. Decentralised basic services: The post-tsunami reconstruction plan envisages construction of ‘centralised drinking water and sewage disposal schemes’. Such systems should not be implemented, particularly as current dependence on external agencies to run such services is expensive and unreliable. Instead, a decentralised system should be promoted that engages communities, is eco-friendly and encourages responsible behaviour of service users.
|
