The Slum’s Conundrum: Understanding the realities of rehabilitation

                           

Our minds are conditioned to think in a positive, optimistic and happy manner. No one wants to feel disheartened, sad or in a negative manner; however the reality sometimes needs to BE KNOWN.

For instance India is a land known for mystery and diversity. However, is it always just this pretty face? Is it just a home to a thousand year old ornately sculptured temples, modern skyscrapers, the Taj Mahal and of course the prevalent slums (jhopadpatti in Hindi). The city where people from different races, cultures, languages and religions; can be found.  

It is a unity of diversity, where people from different lifestyles and manners live together. Although India is a secular Hindu majority country it also has a large Muslim population; which is why it is one of the most religious and ethnically diverse nations in the world. It is only in India that people professes all the major religions of the world. It is the epitome of the world.

India is well known for many scriptures, traditions and culture. Many monumental places such as the shrine which serves free food (langar) to over the Golden Temple in Punjab has been running the world’s largest free kitchen for over 500 years, the Qutab Minar in Delhi which is world’s tallest brick minaret, the Bandhavgarh National Park in Madhya Pradesh, the Taj Mahal Uttar Pradesh and plenty more such wonderful sites across India.

However, there is ANOTHER side to India people DO NOT want to pay attention to and that is the amount of poverty, slums and socio-economic problems prevalent in the county.

Although India is one of the fastest developing countries with many metropolitan cities such as Mumbai, Bangalore, Pune, Chennai and Delhi in it; the cold facts yet remain the same and that is that India yet suffers from malnutrition, poverty, diseases, unhealthy conditions and all of this MORE SO in the SLUMS.

YES… there is always ANOTHER side of the BEAUTIFUL INDIA we talk about. This is the harsh reality for a majority of the population, especially those living in rural areas and in the suburban town or the otherwise known as ‘suburban villages’ of the suburban areas of the country.

There are, firstly major differences between rural and suburban areas; based on the development, amenities, population, education, employment opportunities and so on. In short the rate of urbanisation is very slow in rural areas. Rural areas are also populated than urban ones.

However, this is not what I want to highlight; it is the DIRE condition of the living conditions. India has an exploding population, which leads to a high rise of slum (shanty-house) dwellers). These people mainly are rickshaw drivers, seasonal small vendors, sex workers and housemaid servants.

They don't even have basic amenities like electricity, reliable sanitation services, supply of clean water, etc. They basically are closely packed decrepit housing units. They are formed and continue to form due to a combination of many different factors such as social, demographical, economical, social and political reasons.      

As Mumbai continues to be a hub attracting more and more people, the density of slums in Mumbai just goes on increasing.

Why Mumbai Has Slums https://youtu.be/jPZp_ICmfhE via @YouTube

In the past – i.e.1950’s and 1960’s the Government had made a decision to rehouse the slum dwellers in subsidised rental housing and clear the slums this was an unsuccessful move.

Slum Formation began as a response to the growing population, which was far beyond the capacity of the housing conditions. The Koli fishermen back then were displaced during the development of the Harbour and port.

Dharavi, originally a village became a slum, while many other older slums in Byculla and Khar were initially separate villages having their own traditional industries.    

·      Inside the Dharavi slums of Mumbai

·      https://youtu.be/PBMDGcYWPvU via @YouTube

In addition to this slum, some other major slums in Mumbai are Mankhurd, (Chembur East, Govandi, Mankhurd and Shivaji Nagar, covering 256-plus slums and 13 resettlement colonies)

Ghatkoper, Bhaiganwadi in GovandiW)

This is a slum in Mumbai, not pic postcard Italy town 

http://toi.in/fvpLMa/a24gk via @TOIMumbai

(https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/this-is-a-slum-in-mumbai-not-pic-postcard-italy-town/articleshow/62597050.cms), Sanjay Nagar, Juhu, Shivaji Nagar, Sanjay Nagar,     

It was only in 1915 when the Government started a scheme for the redevelopment of slums, which also made it possible to purchase (private developers) slum land at a reasonably low price.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the vision of ‘Housing for All’ in 2015. However, facts remain facts, which are that Dharavi is the biggest slum areas in Mumbai as well as in the whole of Asia!                

The slums (jhopadpatti in Hindi), which exist in Mumbai prevalent everywhere in Borivali, Kandivali, Malad, Ghatkopar, Govandi, Dahisar and Deonar all need good infrastructure.

 There needs to be manual labour and poverty needs to be abolished which is a deep rooted problem/issue to be dealt with. Until that happens, there can be no hope for ending this socio-economic problem that has taken over the country.