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Fisherman and painter, Ashokan Padapelly, from Kerala narrates how he got his dream home, a sprawling 850 sq ft, 2BHK residence, using cost-effective and eco-friendly features

“We dug out a 5 ft pit, placed bricks/broken tiles in it and covered it with a 5-inch layer of soil. Then we planted a species of grass and arrowroot on it, creating an artificial wetland that recharges groundwater.”

Over the last 17 odd years, Malaksingh Gill's traditional construction materials have reduced carbon footprints by thousands of tonnes.

Thiruvananthapuram’s Karimadom Colony is notorious for poor living conditions and many anti-social elements. However, an organisation hopes to change the lives of the colony’s residents by giving them new housing with better working environments.

As Kerala makes headway in becoming 'open defecation-free’, agents of change in the state assume a critical role in the mission.