'Multi-floored buildings not suitable'

 'Single unit and only ground floor houses are best suited for the geographical and lifestyle conditions of the region.'

The Taskforce, formed by the Government to suggest guidelines to be followed in the construction of houses in the flood-porn areas, said the houses must be of good quality and completed within 100 days.

Addressing a meeting of engineers, contractors and academicians here on Wednesday, Taskforce chairman C S Vishwanath said, NGOs and other agencies involved in rehabilitation works must ensure that the houses they would build must last at least for 60 to 75 years and must be in accordance with the Government guidelines.

Saying that soil in each plot must be tested to ascertain its quality before building the house, Dr Vishwanath said, foundation of each house must be appropriately designed independent footings with stub columns or strip foundation. Designs must match the type of foundation.

He said exterior walls and wall panels must have proper thickness and use of timber must be avoided as timber was a precious material. He said, the engineers must adopt standardised structural designs prescribed by the National Building Code of India.

He also suggested that roofs must be planned in such a way that farmers could stack agricultural waste there.