Innovation in low-cost housing

THE low and middle income groups are confronted with the alarming cost of housing in our metropolitan and other big cities. This is beyond their affordable capacity. Therefore, the urban poor are forced to live in substandard houses, slums and squatter settlements.

A mass-scale housing programme should be directed for an inexpensive substitute for building materials. At present, building materials like iron, cement, bricks and wood are very costly. Research and development for exploring the alternative and appropriate substitutes for these building materials is urgently required.

Instead of the traditional use of cement, the application of flyash as a substitute has got to be recognised. The prefabrication process of mechanisation has to be encouraged for building houses for the masses within a short span of time. As such, through the application of prefabricated materials house construction activities can be boosted.

The cost of roofing can be reduced by the use of asphaltic corrugated sheets and cement pulp roofing sheets. These have been used with advantage in constructing low-cost structures. The use of plastic pipes and fittings would also add to some savings as regards internal and external plumbing.

The National Buildings Organisation has suggested several measures for reducing the consumption of steel in building construction. These include the use of deformed bars, tubular structures, light guard structural sections and substitute materials lie reinforcement cement concrete and timber. These measures are being increasingly adopted.

GOPAL BHARGAVA
Delhi

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For national govt

We have been repeatedly told that the total expenditure, both official and non-official, on the ensuing elections may well be more than Rs 2000 crore. This appears to be an enormous waste, especially when election results may again be throwing up a hung Parliament and precipitate the formation of a coalition government. The fate of such a government would be as dismal as those of the earlier ones.

We are currently involved in a very serious battle against the intruders from across the border. This undeclared war, which may last any number of months, is causing a large drain on our economy. Must we have a carnival of elections under the shadow of booming guns and aerial bombardment?

It is time the elections, which have been aptly described as “the theatre of the absurd,” were shown the curtain fall and the country made to have a national government. All the political parties must poll in their wisdom to provide a strong, stable and strife-free government. The political leadership must rise to the occasion and save the nation from an enormous financial burden and the bitterness that the elections are bound to create.

Let the President of India also resolutely show statesmanship, and political parties bend and their leadership accept the formation of a national government in the national interest even when there is no provision for such an arrangement in the Constitution of India.

We know it well that no political party or group of political parties forming the government after the elections will have a sufficient majority in the two chambers of Parliament to amend the Constitution and incorporate a provision for the national government. It will, therefore, be futile to wait for a constitutional amendment to come to our rescue.

ARCHANA NAGRATH
Chandigarh

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Railway reservations

The computerised reservation and cancellation of railway tickets comes to a standstill at Hoshiarpur whenever power supply goes off because the facility of a generator is not available there. Helpless passengers (including elderly persons) cannot do anything except standing in the queue and keeping their fingers crossed.

Is it not a pity that railway fares are increased every year, but even the basic infrastructure facilities are not provided at the railway stations?

BAKHTAVAR SINGH
Hoshiarpur

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Bathinda roads

I want to draw the attention of the Municipal Committee on the bad condition of Bathinda roads. The main road — G.T. Road — is blocked and it is not known when construction work will be completed. It may be completed till 2000 or 2001.

Every day dirty sewer water is thrown on the other roads, which gives foul smell all-around.

JASPREET SIDHU
Bathinda