BBC News Online: World: South Asia

Gujarat's 'quake proof house'

The houses are being built throughout the state by a number of non-government organisations and the Indian Government.

Aid organisation Care International, working in partnership with the Federation of Indian Commerce and Industry, plans to build 6,000 of the houses in the districts of Anjar, Bachao and Rapar.

Drawing on techniques pioneered in other earthquake-prone areas, the design has been tested on a "shake table" - used to test the resistance of structures to seismic shocks.

Satish Sinha from Care International said the houses had received a tremendous response from local people.

He told BBC News Online that demand was such that the project has already been expanded from 9 to 23 villages.

Mr Sinha said the idea was to provide people with a basic, but resilient core structure which could be expanded and developed if they wished.

The houses, which have three rooms including a kitchen, are constructed using local materials and have been designed in consultation with local people.

The project also hopes the design can be adapted and used in the construction of community centres, schools, nurseries and health centres.