Events & Issues

New Delhi, 4 October 2010

Increasing Slums

CAN’T REMOVE, AT LEAST IMPROVE

By Dhurjati Mukherjee

This October 4, the World Habitat Day was observed bringing into sharp focus the desire to make India slum-free. In fact, it would be worthwhile to have a re-look at the 1996 Global Report on Human Settlements.  It had very aptly summed up the nature of the urban challenge facing the world and the response required. It reads: “As we approach the new millennium, the world stands at veritable cross roads in history. Urbanization holds out the bright promises of an unequalled future and the grave threat of unparallel disaster and what it will be depends on what we do ….”

With around 900 million homeless people living in cities and towns throughout the world in life-threatening situations, the figure may double by the first quarter of the century unless a revolution in urban demography takes place. Later the Challenge of Slums: Global Report of Human Settlements (2003) aptly pointed out: “the cities of developing countries have become a dumping ground for a surplus population working in unskilled, unprotected and low-wage informal service industries and trade”.

But though efforts have been initiated in solving the pressing urban problems, in tune with commitments made at the Habitat-II and Habitat-II+5 and many other conferences by various national governments, specially in relation to the Third World countries, the problem of homelessness has assumed critical dimensions. In India, the growth of slums, squatter settlements, pavement dwelling and the likes in urban centres have increased considerably. Micro-level studies indicate that the population living in slums, shanties and pavements in metropolitan and other large cities in Third World countries, specially in India has been growing at a much faster rate than their total population. In Kolkata, around 2000 migrants come every day, in Mumbai 25,000 a month and in Delhi 1.3 lakh every year.

According to the expert committee headed by Pronob Sen of the Planning Commission, formed to estimate reliable slum data to ensure better implementation of Rajiv Awas Yojana, over 93 million people will be living in slums by next year, an increase of around 23 per cent from the 2001 figure of 52.4 million. In Delhi, the slum population would be 31.63 lakh people in 2011 as compared to 23.18 lakh ten years back. Among the other states, Maharashtra  tops the chart where around 1.815 crore will be living in slums in 2011 followed by Uttar Pradesh (1.087), Tamil Nadu (86.44 lakh), West Bengal (85.46lakh) and Andhra Pradesh (81.68 lakh).

The projected slum population will cross 100 million by 2017 from the estimated 75.2 million in 2001. Such a trend is expected due to the increase in urbanization in recent years as people have been flocking to the urban centres in search of employment opportunities and a better livelihood.

Significantly, a major reason for the total slum population being unreported was due to the fact that the Census 2001 took into account only notified slums in 1764 towns across the country leaving out small towns. The rise in official slum figures, which now appears to be more realistic, has now included 5161 towns, including 3799 statutory towns and has modified the definition of slums as followed by the Registrar General of India which conducts the Census.

Though Union Minister for Housing & Urban Poverty Alleviation, Kumari Selja, hopes the target for achieving a slum-free India would be achieved in the next five years, it appears unrealistic. While people from rural and semi-urban areas would flock to cities in search of livelihood, they would obviously find shelter in slums and squatter settlements. As such, there is little likelihood of slum population decreasing in any sizeable number in the next few years. However, one cannot deny the efforts being made.

What is necessary at this point is improvement in the condition of slums by providing basic amenities such as water, sanitation and health facilities which are lacking in most slums not to talk of squatter settlements. There has to be a programme of extending water facilities in a big way in these areas while sanitary toilets also have to be built in large numbers to serve these densely-populated areas. The lack of these facilities has resulted an increase in water-borne and communicable diseases and must be checked. Additionally, there is need for proper health care and immunization for the people,who belong to the BPL groups and economically weaker sections.

Very little work has been carried out in unrecognized slums and squatter settlements and eviction cannot be the solution to this critical problem. Recall, a few ago years ago the Supreme Court ordered to remove all slums from Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata,, Chennai and other metropolises though the 136^th Report on Legislative Protection for Slum and Pavement Dwellers directed that such persons should be protected through legislative measures, if and when eviction is undertaken. As is accepted the world-over, demolition without proper resettlement is undemocratic and an interference with the right to freedom and livelihood. Even the National Housing Policy argued that to arrest the growth of slums, the Government would have to avoid forcible eviction of slum dwellers, encourage slum renovation and progressive housing development with occupancy rights.

But even then large-scale evictions have been carried out in the metros, causing immeasurable hardship and suffering to the poor. Most of the families have not been relocated while a very few have found place far away from the cities, thereby making it totally inconvenient for them to commute from such far away places for their livelihood. The beautification or the development paradox, in the wake of globalization and/or liberalization has not been planned in a pragmatic and judicious manner, keeping in view the interests of the poor.     

It is generally agreed that Government’s faulty planning had left out extending basic services to the unrecognized slums, possibly because it was thinking of evicting the people. Moreover, whatever little has been done for the notified or recognized slums was inadequate compared to the needs, specially in relation to water, sanitation and health facilities. The municipalities too did not carry out the work as they lacked sufficient resources but also the interest.    

In the given circumstances, it is necessary there should be greater endeavour on the part of the Centre to improve the condition of slums as also regularize some squatter settlements. This is equally important than beautifying the cities – which includes building flyovers which sometimes may not be necessary -- as the major segment of the city’s population live there.

As all this requires a huge amount of resources, corporate houses should be asked to take up some part of slum development work in and around the areas they operate in. Moreover, specific responsibilities of providing water, sanitation and health facilities should be earmarked to the NGOs who could carry out the work more effectively and at lower costs than the municipal bodies.

Clearly, all-round effort is needed if the Government wants a slum-free India. Plans and programmes that benefit only the rich and the middle class cannot be the sole prerogative of any development authority; the needs and concerns of the poor aam admi too need to be addressed.--INFA     

(Copyright, India News and Feature Alliance)