Clay ceilings
rural housing is the priority area of the Centre of Science for Villages ( csv ), Wardha, Maharashtra. The latest thrust of research here is on various cost reducing technologies to suit the housing needs of the poor villagers of the district.
Their new style of housing involves building houses which are devoid of timber or steel in their roofs. These dwellings are not only cost-effective but can also withstand floods, rain, hailstorm and high velocity wind. Further, they can be occupied within three days at a cost less than Rs 200 per square metre, according to csv researchers ( Kurukshetra , Vol 44 , Nos 8 & 9).
The most ingenious feature of the csv model is the timberless roof or the