Because we are different.

Eco-friendly houses for Aila victims

2 February 2010

Statesman News Service
KOLKATA, 2 FEB: The state government is planning to set up 20 eco-friendly houses at Sunderbans for victims of cyclone Aila.
At a function organised by an NGO, South Asian Forum for Environment (SAFE) prior to World Wetland Day, Mr SP Gon Chowdhury, managing director of West Bengal Green Energy Development Corporation (WBGEDC) said, they met the chief minister yesterday to work out details of the plan. Mr Chowdhury said, technical infrastructure will be provided by a private agency, while the corporation will oversee the work for the project.
Carbon material will not be used for construction of houses, which will be set up at a cost of Rs 1,75,000. The designing will be made in such a way that the houses can withstand any weather condition.
Mr Choudhury said there is a need for proper utilisation of central funds for the protection of the environment. He further said, as the Union government will disburse around Rs 500 crore under the Solar Energy Mission this year, they will try their best to utilise the money properly.
Meanwhile, the members of the NGO stressed on the need to create awareness about preserving the wetlands in the state as most of them are being filled up to set up high rise buildings. They are also planning to organise an event in the East Kolkata Wetland area, where they will  commercially cultivate a few indigenous fish that are on the verge of extinction. A member of the NGO said, fish will be collected from different ponds and rivers of Bengal and will be stocked in a rainwater harvested pond. Also, fishermen of the area will train others of the community on ways to preserve such fish and market the product.