Bihar looks at Gujarat and TN for houses for flood-hit

With the Bihar Government planning to provide the “best” house models, as offered to victims of 2004 tsunami and 2001 Gujarat earthquake...

With the Bihar Government planning to provide the “best” house models, as offered to victims of 2004 tsunami and 2001 Gujarat earthquake, more than 15 lakh people in the state, who have been rooted out of their moorings due to the Kosi flood, are likely to get new homes over five years. The state Government, which has started distributing 1 quintal of grain and Rs 2,250 to each of the flood-hit families, will start the rehabilitation phase after October 15.

Speaking to The Indian Express, Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi on Thursday said: “We have closely studied house models that came up after the tsunami on India’s eastern coast and the Gujarat earthquake. Our officials have been working on possible models for the flood-hit people here.”

He said the Government had estimated Rs 4,500 crore for reconstruction of three lakh houses in its additional demand of Rs 9,000-crore flood package from the Centre. Under the Central Relief Fund, only Rs 25,000 is allocated for the reconstruction of a house.

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The Disaster Management Department recently assessed that 3.5 lakh homes would have to be reconstructed.

Lightweight concrete houses with earthquake-resistant technology will be the focus of the scheme. Experts will prepare a model for five affected districts in Bihar taking into account the state’s seismic profile,” the Deputy Chief Minister said.

Modi said he had been in constant touch with Gujarat and other BJP-ruled states for additional inputs on rehabilitation. Supaul and Madhepura alone would require construction/reconstruction of over two lakh houses.

The house reconstruction phase, however, will take some time as the Government has to wait for the new Kosi course to dry up after plugging the breach.

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State Development Commissioner S Vijayraghavan, who visited Bhuj in Gujarat and Cuddalore in Tamil Nadu last week to study house models, said: “Bhuj took seven years and Cuddalore four years for house reconstruction. We are preparing a workable house model for Bihar incorporating the two major rehabilitation models.”

The Development Commissioner said the state Cabinet was likely to take up the matter next week.

Disaster Management Department Additional Commissioner Pratyay Amrit said: “We plan to reconstruct houses by giving them a concrete base. As in most cases, thatched and mud houses were washed away, it would mean raising new homes,” said Amrit.

Asked how the Government arrived at the number of houses to be reconstructed, Amrit said: “We have data of villages with us besides field assessments by officials at district to panchayat levels.” He, however, said as several villages were still under water, the number of houses to be reconstructed might increase.

Following Cuddalore and Bhuj models

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• 3.5 lakh houses to be reconstructed, about 2 lakh in Supaul and Madhepura alone

• Rs 1.5 lakh for each earthquake-resistant house

• Cabinet go-ahead to model next week

• Reconstruction to start after October 15

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