KS - MEN REMOVING BAMBOO FROM WATER



CV - SAME AS ABOVE



BRINGING BAMBOO UP ON LAND



BAMBOO BEING SPLIT



CV - BAMBOO BEING SPLIT



MAN MIXING GLUE



MEN PUTTING GLUE ON BAMBOO



MEN PUTTING BAMBOO INTO MOULDS



2 SHOTS - MEN WORKING ON MOULDS



2 SHOTS - POURING CEMENT OVER MOULD



MAN CARRYING SMALL MOULD FROM CRUST



CV - SMALL MOULDS



MEN LIFTING LONG SECTIONS



SEVERAL SHOTS - HOUSES THAT WERE CONSTRUCTED WITH THIS PROCESS



MS - FACTORY



INTERIOR OF FACTORY




Initials



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: (ROLL CUE)
THE STILL YOUNG DEMOCRACY OF INDIA IS MAKING AN ENORMOUS EFFORT TO BRING ITS ECONOMY UP TO WESTERN STANDARDS, WITH A DESPERATE NEED FOR STEEL, INDIANS ARE CONSTANTLY SEEKING NEW WAYS TO SAVE IT. NOW, THEY THINK THEY HAVE FOUND A WAY.

(FILM IN)
THIS IS BAMBOO, A PLENTIFUL COMMODITY IN INDIA, WHERE A GOVERNMENT, COMMITTED TO DEMOCRACY, IS TRYING TO PULL ITSELF UP BY ITS ECONOMIC BOOTSTRAPS, THROUGH A SERIES OF FIVE-YEAR PLANS. IRON ORE, LIMESTONE AND COAL ARE FOUND IN ADEQUATE QUANTITIES IN INDIA, TOO. BUT THE INDIAN STEEL INDUSTRY - WHICH IS BEING DEVELOPED BY COMPETING TEAMS OF SOVIET AND AMERICAN ENGINEERS - IS STILL TOO EMBRYONIC TO MEET THE MONUMENTAL NEEDS OF INDIA'S ECONOMY. AND SO, BAMBOO PLAYS THE UNLIKELY ROLE OF A SUBSTITUTE FOR STEEL, IN REINFORCED CONCRETE. AFTER THE BAMBOO IS SOAKED IN WATER FOR A MONTH, IT IS TREATED WITH A CHEMICAL PAINT, COATED WITH GLUE, AND WORKED INTO FORMS. AFTERWARDS, IT IS PUT INTO A MOULD AND COVERED WITH CEMENT. THESE PRE-CAST CONCRETE SLABS SERVE THE SAME PURPOSE IN INDIA THAT THEY WOULD SERVE IN AMERICAN CONSTRUCTION. HOWEVER, SINCE MANY INDIAN STRUCTURES STILL USE THAT UNIVERSAL BUILDING MATERIAL, MUD, FOR WALLS, THE PRIMARY USE OF THE SLABS IS FOR ROOFS. HOMES, FACTORIES AND OFFICES ARE CONSTRUCTED WITH CONCRETE ROOFS. THE MANUFACTURING PROCESS FOR THIS UNIQUE STRENGTHENING OF CONCRETE WAS DEVELOPED. AFTER 25 YEARS OF RESEARCH, BY A GERMAN-TRAINED INDIAN ENGINEER... NOT IT IS USED IN HOUSING CONSTRUCTION. HE FEELS THAT THE FACTORY'S DURABILITY ATTESTS TO THE USEFULNESS OF THE NEW PROCESS. IN INDIA, WHERE STEEL PRODUCTION EQUALLING, 5 PERCENT OF AMERICAN OUTPUT IS STILL A HOPED-FOR URBAN, BAMBOO INTO STEEL IS AN EVOLUTION MEASURABLE IN THE PROGRESS OF AN ECONOMY.