OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

The study was aimed at examining the existing IAY conditions at all levels, identifying gaps and putting forward recommendations in the context of IAY housing and its delivery.

 

METHODOLOGY

The core of the study was to understand  rural housing and IAY in terms of a)  what exists, b) what  are  the  gaps,  c)  how  to  mend  the  gaps  by people-centred,  sustainable  and  green approach.  The  study  was  based  on  resource  mapping  exercise  conducted  at  state,  district, block, settlement and HH level. The data collection was done by using a semi-structured format consisting of nine major heads. The main emphasis was on “CONSULTATION”. 

 

RESOURCE MAPPING

 

Planning at  National Level:  After the inception workshop in Delhi  (December 2013),  a  draft plan was prepared for the study in consultation with UNDP and HUDCO. 

 

Planning  at  State  level:  The criteria set for identification of the settlements for resource mapping where, a) must have sizeable  BPL  Families.  , b) should  cover  all  social  groups/tribes, c)  Climatologically different,  d)  Geologically  different,

e)  Different  hazard  zones  (e.g.  Flood),  f)  and  at  least  one settlement per district.

 

District  level:  During  the  field  visits  the  survey  team  had  meetings  with  the  DMs  of  North Tripura, Dhalai and West Tripura district. Each of the three DMs spent their valuable time and put  forward  their  suggestions.  The  two  most  important  ones  were  a)  assess  IAY peoples’ aspirations on their shelters, b) less water-intensive toilet.

 

Block Level: BDO was the focal point. BDO and her/his office, the engineering department and the others  were consulted and their opinions on IAY especially where the gaps exist and what could be the solution was recorded

 

Settlement Level:  It  was  an excellent opportunity  to  study  the  existing  technologies, people’s aspirations. Shelter technologies were classified into three types a)  Type I:  Local & Natural Material-based (Traditional), b) Type II: Efforts to upgrade (Transformation), c)  Type III:Industrially produced  materials-based. Many  poor  HHs  are  type  I  and  II  and  need  retrofitting both  structurally  and  architecturally.  Pucca  floor  is  non-negitiable.  Rammed mud  with cement/lime stabilization can be used as wall, split bamboo reinforced stabilized mud wall could the other alternative. Micro-concrete tiles could be another option for roof.

 

Household  level:  In-depth  study  was  done  of  37  HHs  spread  over  seven  districts  covering twelve tribes. People, e.g. Halams, need two bed rooms, one veranda for multipurpose use, one kitchen and toilets.  Two  bed rooms  are needed since  the  girls prefer to live in fathers’ homes even after marriage.  In addition,  the people have a culture of receiving guests.  Therefore, to  reach the desired shelter it has to be incremental rather than a finished one time product.