This house in Hyderabad shows way for green living

‘Sontha dabba’ offers diverse products made from scrap

Hyderabad: From doors and windows crafted from old refrigerators to chairs made of recycled aeroplane tires and furniture repurposed from scrappy trunk boxes — MV Ramachandrudu’s greenhouse tucked away in peaceful bylanes of Nagole is a testament to a perfect blend of artistic flair and sustainability. Called ‘Sonta dabba’, this house was built 12 years ago with repurposed waste and water-harvesting techniques.

Over the time, the 57-year-old, along with his son Bharani, have integrated technologies like bio-gas, solar panels, and rat trap bond into the house to make it one-of-a-kind. The father-son duo, who are both civil engineers and hold similar beliefs, express their endeavour towards a greener and more minimalist lifestyle. “Working with an NGO exposed me to eco-friendly water-harvesting methods.

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Inspired by green buildings abroad, I embraced those techniques while building my house,” he said. “It’s a bit tough to build a place like this in the heart of the city but I really enjoyed this process of learning, failing, and rebuilding everything myself along with my son,” said Ramachandrudu, who devoted 35 years to the NGO sector, serving across India. After graduation, Bharani, who was not keen on traditional jobs, chose to construct sustainable tiny homes without compromising on basic needs. As part of this, he built a container home called ‘Life in the Box’, just beside their residence, all from scrap. The duo is planning to register the home with Airbnb soon. “I have attained various skills and even discovered a few innovative ‘jugaad’ methods like making bricks using thermocol scrap.

Even the insulation and ventilation for the home is made from scrap and natural methods,” said the 29-year-old. Interestingly, while Ramachandrudu also makes bio-enzymes, shampoos, and soaps at home with kitchen waste, Bharani is into baking millet biscuits. The duo also collects scrap materials like beer bottles, cloth waste, and cycle chains to create products for their zero-waste shop. It has been over seven months since they started organising an event called ‘Sonta Dabba Sarukula Santha’ at their home every month.

The event gathers entrepreneurs with similar interests offering diverse products, from rice and pulses to cotton dresses and chemical-free cosmetics. Having successfully organised 11 events, the father-son duo intends to increase the frequency to three times a month. For details regarding the event and stalls, one can contact Bharani either on Instagram handle @sonta_dabba or on WhatsApp at 8499999760.