Training Programme On Construction On "Bamboo Toilets For Private And Community" at Kerala
Date : 1-5 December 2014

INTERNATIONAL TRAINING PROGRAMME ON CONSTRUCTION
ON
“BAMBOO TOILETS FOR PRIVATE AND COMMUNITY”
At KEID, KOCHI, KERALA 1-5 DECEMBER 2014
Kerala Bamboo Fest 2014

This year, Government of Kerala has decided to organize the 11th edition of the ‘Kerala Bamboo Fest’ as an International Event scheduled to be held at Marine Drive, Kochi (Ernakulam), Kerala from December 5 to 9, 2014 under the aegis of the State Bamboo Mission. Kochi is popular all over the world as the ‘Queen of the Arabian Sea’ and is also well-connected with other Countries owing to the presence of an International Airport at Nedumbassery.

The Kerala Bamboo festival is organized by The Kerala State Bamboo Mission (KSBM) which was constituted in 2003 by Government of Kerala with a vision towards the holistic development of the bamboo sector within the state. The Honorable Minister for Industries and Information technology, Government of Kerala is currently at the helm as the Chairman with member, Kerala State Planning Board as the Vice chairman. Since 2004, the Mission has been annually organizing a National level event in Kerala, christened Kerala Bamboo Fest, in the month of December. More than 250 artisans/entrepreneurs working in the bamboo sector all over the country have been part of this initiative every year since its inception.

We are inviting all Entrepreneurs / Technology Providers / Support Service Providers in the Bamboo sector to participate in the Kerala Bamboo Fest 2014 to be held at Kochi. It is a golden opportunity for the international participants to interact with the beneficiaries in the Indian bamboo sector as well as to experience the naturally endowed gift of Kerala which is popular dubbed as God’s own country in the Hitchhiker’s guide to International tourist spots. Air Conditional fully fledged stalls will be provided for the registered participants along with local hospitality, at Kochi, free of cost.

Background

Bamboo does not need any introduction; it has been an integral part in all spheres of life such as social, cultural and tradition. Besides traditional household uses, Bamboo has been a basic material for building construction since aged old. There are more than 75% of the rural habitats built with Bamboo in this region. In fact, Bamboo in housing would be the biggest sector commonly practiced as a whole. Therefore, Bamboo housing offers an enough scope to the local populace towards the employment generation in a large scale as well as adaptation of the technology while looking at the abundant resource and the existing traditional skills.

Since times immemorial, the general trend of practicing in bamboo construction has been traditional; beyond that, much change and development could not evolve to a large extend. Moreover now, due to the advent of new building materials and industrialization, bamboo has become the least used material amongst the rural and local people.

Beyond the above facts, bamboo has also to offer other advantages as a building material. Bamboo as a material is very light and has a high tensile strength for which the construction with bamboo is much relevant in the areas falling under earth quake zones like North-East India. Also, with the advent of new technology Bamboo has become an alternative material to wood thereby substituting the rapidly depleting wood resources. Altogether, Bamboo is not merely a material for construction but also sustains the local economy in the process, balances our environment and generates local employment.

To promote the idea in a mass scale and familiarize the people as to the importance of Bamboo and its appropriate use with the advanced techniques in construction sector particularly, Auroville Bamboo Center and SABF has pioneered in the last few years by constructing bamboo based structures at several locations. The main and basic idea is to bridging the gap between the traditional skills and the appropriate advanced technology. Thus, since its inception has undertaken a wide range of model demonstration construction activities for rural habitats, eco-tourism projects, pre-fabricated modular structures, community buildings and much other bamboo based projects to showcase and familiarize the products in strategic locations of the region in NER and South India.

Considering the above potentials and prospects, the need to promote this technology in a large scale both in the rural and urban areas through the key peoples who are responsible for the upliftment of the society has become quite significant to make them familiar in this technology. Responding to the above need and need for developing various sustainable bamboo based housing constructions , Auroville Bamboo Center and SABF in collaboration with Kerala State Bamboo Mission proposes to organize a five day training programme on “BAMBOO TOILETS FOR PRIVATE COMMUNITY At KEID, KOCHI , KERALA 1-5 DECEMBER 2014 . The theme has been kept looking into the need for the country’s need for urban and rural sanitation requirements. The plan is to develop various models of Public and Community toilets using bamboo both round bamboo, treated bamboo and engineered bamboo like bamboo ply and bamboo boards as construction materials.

About the theme of the Workshop:

On India’s 68th Independence Day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke about the need to improve India’s sex ratios and against the widespread practice of aborting female foetuses in his speech. He used the occasion to talk about improving sanitation and hygiene in terms of restoring women’s dignity, lack of access to toilets linking it to preventive health and also defeating poverty .He urged individuals to take more responsibility, to stop dropping litter, keep their neighborhoods and villages clean, to care for those weaker than them. Stressing on the need for cleanliness, the Prime Minister announced his Government’s resolve for “Swachh Bharat” – a vision which will be launched on October 2nd this year, to be accomplished by 2019, on the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. In a related initiative, the Prime Minister said the first step towards “Swachh Bharat” begins with immediate effect, through a commitment to build toilets in all schools, including separate toilets for girls, within one year.

A new study on large-scale rural sanitation programmes in India highlights challenges in achieving sufficient access to toilets and reduction in open defecation to yield significant health benefits for young children. Investigators, led by an Indian-origin researcher, conducted a cluster randomised controlled trial in 80 rural villages in Madhya Pradesh to measure the effect of India's Total Sanitation campaign (an initiative to increase access to improved sanitation throughout rural India) on household latrine availability, defecation behaviors and child health.

Through this workshop a numbers of bamboo based toilets prototypes’ will be developed which will be exhibited at the International Bamboo Exhibition and also plans will be made to attract the attention of Policy makers, CSR agencies and Government of India’s rural development ministry who are planning to take sanitation related issues in Mission mode based on the urgency call made by the Prime minister of India .

Objectives

The main objectives of the training are:
Introduce bamboo based low cost and affordable bamboo sanitations like private and public toilets though innovations and using bamboo as construction materials.
To create awareness about Bamboo and its importance for sustainable development.
Creating Human Resources in the field of construction.
Providing exposure of the trainees to the practical application sites and the various techniques of the construction involved.
Promoting of Bamboo Entrepreneurs and skill workers throughout the country.

Methodology

The methodology of this training programme would include both “Theory and Practical Demonstration” covering all the techniques involve in the Basic construction process such as: The basic physical properties of bamboo and its structural behavior Appropriate techniques for selecting a bamboo in the construction Harvesting and Preservative techniques of Bamboo Different types of Jointing systems Joinery elements Basic plinth preparation techniques Topics related to the construction activities etc. A Geodesic Dome structure construction
The above programme will be administered through:
Audio-visual demonstrations and lectures Practical demonstrations Field visits etc.