.
One fifth of all Indian families – some two hundred million people - live in an area that
is less than twelve square meters (a room, the dimensions of which are some three meters by four meters). The author says that these poor slum dwellers can no longer be regarded as having encroached upon our cities – for, they will soon constitute the majority of our urban dwellers!
Whether the cities act as economic magnets attracting the rural poor, or suck the rural areas dry (of resources) forcing people to migrate to cities, is immaterial. Slums are the result – and not the cause – of persistent urban poverty. But who are these slum dwellers? More often than not, they are street vendors (hawkers), casual laborers, rag pickers and poor peasants who form part of the informal economy. What these slum dwellers urgently need are water and electricity, free schools, and low income housing. Or, put another way, what these slum dwellers need is legal recognition – and water, sanitation and housing will follow!
The author says that cities are not built over slums, but slums grow in cities – and are the result of faulty planning and poor governance.
The author has refuted some (commonly-believed) myths regarding slums:
1. Slums serve no purpose – in fact, they provide low cost housing for millions and low cost services for the city.
2. Crimes originate from the slums – in fact, poor (and unprotected) slum dwellers are often the victims of theft and violence.
3. There never used to be slums before – in fact, slums were just as widespread earlier as today.
4. Slum dwellers are a burden on the economy – in fact, slum dwellers provide goods and services through the informal economy.
5. All slum dwellers are poor – in fact, many slum dwellers have decent incomes, and possess color televisions and refrigerators.
6. Slum dwellers do not want to pay any rent – in fact, many slum dwellers do pay rent.
With no steady job or regular source of income, these rural migrants are forced to stay in slums as (being poor) they cannot afford any other city housing. The problem is that slums are largely unauthorized – and unrecognized - by the government. As a result, the slum dwellers have no legal deeds to their land. And being illegal, the slum dwellers are not entitled to water connections, electricity, and even toilets. That is, they are denied access to basic amenities, infrastructure and services… But they are entitled to vote, and are authentic citizens of this country nonetheless.
Published: April 11, 2009
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