What is the first thing that comes to our mind when we think about slums? Do we know what deplorable health and environmental conditions exist in slums? Every now and then we come across news that reports eviction of slum dwellers due to encroachment? Their houses are demolished and asked to leave.
Do we ever wonder where would they go after getting evicted? They just get settled in another government or private land only to get evicted again just when they think that they have a home now. The cycle just keeps occurring again and again. Why aren't we able to solve this problem and help them to give a sense of belonging?
Slums are the other India that we should focus on. Ok, let's understand the cycle first before thinking about a plausible solution. Due to rapid urbanization more and more people come to cities with a dream to improve their lives. They get settled on lands that are open and unclaimed what we call slums. These slums have people who work as daily wagers, drivers, migrant, and construction laborers, maids etc. constituting the Informal Economy mostly. These places are too congested with water scarcity, no proper sanitation, and healthcare. They are happy to live in such places as long as they manage to eat properly.
Just imagine what the Covid lockdown has done to these people's livelihoods. They were forced to discontinue their work. Some migrated back to their villages. Maids and drivers lost their work. How would they manage to live if the informal work comes to a halt due to the pandemic?
The outbreak of pandemic does threaten these people with risk of infection and loss of livelihood. But even before the pandemic, their lives weren't any better. They never had this sense of belonging, while they keep getting evicted. There are close to 65 Million slums in India. As per the 2011 census, it is also reported that 81% of the slum population of India is concentrated in nine states. 11 of the 65 Million come from Maharashtra alone. The examples of Mumbai and Delhi tell us how grave the situation is.
Dharavi's land is owned by the Government and the municipal body. We claim Dharavi as Asia's 2nd largest slum. Even our Film industry cannot get enough of Dharavi. The informal economy of Dharavi is expected to be between $650 Million to $1 Billion. 80,000 families are estimated to settles on 276 acres of airport land in Mumbai. The land value of all slums in Mumbai is estimated to be around 1 Lakh crore rupees.
But if we look deeper, we will realize how bad the situation is. Dharavi has one public toilet for 1440 people. 5 to 7 people live in 50-150 square feet area. Drains and sewage still flow openly. It is plagued by different epidemics like Typhoid, Cholera, and Leprosy over the years. In the past 14 years, a lot of plans were made for the redevelopment of Dharavi. Except for NGOs that keep trying to help the people in these slums, no considerable changes were made to people's lives in Dharavi and the redevelopment is still in the planning phase.
The story of Delhi isn't any better. 3.5 Lakh people settled across the 140KM Railway track line in Delhi. Indian railways have informed that these slums are generating tons of Solid and plastic waste causing environmental degradation. The Supreme Court has ordered the eviction of 48,000 slum dwellers, even while the infection risk of corona looms in the country. These families have the risk of getting displaced and infected.
What I really don't understand is why the evictions of slum dwellers not coupled with affordable housing and other means of livelihood. We don't have a specific law with respect to the eviction of slums. As much as it is true that both Government and Private lands cannot be occupied, why do we not have a proper law on eviction that is coupled with the welfare of the dwellers?
Currently, the government has 2 laws Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission and Swarna Jayanti Shahari Rozgar Yojana (SJSRY) that offers affordable housing with pre-determined rental rates over a period of 25 years. But housing alone is not the problem here.We need laws that address the need for basic needs like water, food, and sanitation. Governments can truly change people's lives if they manage to provide education, work, and health protection. Old age support is another grey area. Providing affordable housing, healthcare and work would truly give these people a chance to change their lives and sense of belonging.
How long before this other India becomes truly part of the real developing and growing India? Only time can tell!
-Bhavith
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