Bhubaneswar: As long-term measure in the disaster prone areas, building a disaster resilient housing is the need the hour said development commissioner and special relief commissioner P K Jena. “We need long-term solutions. He urged to people to build their houses keeping safety and resilient aspects in mind, rather waste money on beautification. All government assisted housing programmes and public buildings need to focus on disaster resilient aspects.”
In a webinar organised by Indian Chamber of Commerce (ICC) on ‘Post Disaster: Cyclone Resilient House Construction in Coastal Odisha – Focusing on Affordable Housing” held in Virtual platform. The special relief commissioner urged the need for a ‘housing support service hub in the all disaster affected blocks of the state. The hub can provide technical assistance, ensure credit linkage from the banks and microfinance institutions and undertake reskilling of the construction workers and experts such as masons and engineering professional.
Ashok K Meena, Principal Secretary, Finance Department, Government of Odisha opined that, “A strong movement is necessary to sensitise people on safety aspects during house construction and integrate sanitation and rain water harvesting structure, wherever possible. Interest subvention could be an incentive for government to consider for constructing a disaster resilient house. He called upon the financial institutions including the Microfinance sector to play a major role through innovative products for the affordable housing.”
J B Pany Chairman ICC Odisha State Council urged the corporate and industry leaders to join the disaster resilient housing movement in the state. He focuses on need for use the local building materials in the rural areas.
Jagadananda Convener CSR & Sustainability Committee, ICC Odisha State Council Emphasied the need for a social movement on ‘Kucha to Pucca’ housing. He urged the government and industry leader to consider housing from a dignity prospective, in addition to safety and security. He also urged the civil society organisations of the state to undertake social mobilisation at the ground zero to motivate people to join in this movement keeping community at the centre.
Other dignitaries present at the webinar are Rajan Samuel Managing Director Habitat India, P Satish Executive Director, Sa-Dhan, Tapan Mohanty Managing Director, Z Estate Pvt Ltd, Dr. Abha Mishra Head- Odisha Office UNDP, Matrudatta Mishra Director, S J Developers Pvt. Ltd, Dr. Ambika Nanda Head, CSR-Tata Steel Ltd. More than 100 members of CSR Professionals, Corporates, Arcitech, Policy Makers, NGOs, Habitat Experts, NFIs and Housing Banks participated in the event.
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