Srinagar, Jan. 3 -- Natural calamities do not merely destroy homes; they unsettle lives, erode livelihoods and weaken the social fabric of communities. In Reasi district, where flash floods and landslides left hundreds of families homeless, the decision to rebuild with prefabricated "smart houses" marks a turning point in how relief and rehabilitation can be imagined. The initiative, funded entirely by a rural development society, ensures that affected families receive modern housing without burdening the public exchequer. It is a model that redefines disaster response, showing how civil society can step forward with compassion and innovation to complement governance and create sustainable safety nets.

The promise of completing these hou...