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An Insight on Slums

Article in International Journal of Research · July 2014

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 International Journal of Research (IJR) Vol-1, Issue-6, July 2014 ISSN 2348-6848

An Insight on Slums
Pallavi Tiwari
Architecture student, Maulana Azad National Institute of Technology Bhopal, India

Abstract: For generations slums have been 1.0 INTRODUCTION

considered to be a negative factor in the
overall development analysis of any While driving our way to here and there we
developing country. Forced evictions and often come across those filthy areas that are
continuous humiliation is not the solution of like a big dirt spots for the otherwise
this growing problem. This paper tends to beautiful city. These areas known as the
comprehend the basics of what slums slums are considered to be a stigma in the
actually are and what kind of problems the
society as people like to believe. House of
residents of a slum face. More over the
paper will suggest possible ways of crimes and an unending well of countless
development and up gradation of these poor health problems, is what slums are better
areas of the society in an economical, known for, however people who don’t live
feasible and relatable fashion. in slums hardly ever bother to know about
those who actually live in those places that
Keywords: Inhabitable, substandard,
are considered to be a stain on the white
informal, tenure, forced evictions, UN-
HABITAT, migration, globalization, up- sheet of society. That being said, the upper
gradation, redevelopment, labor force, class population or rather the more
infrastructure, participation, awareness, sophisticated one generally repels those
unfortunates who have no other option but
to live in those inhabitable conditions.
Before dwelling into the problems of slums
and a more discussed topic which is the
threat slums have on their neighborhoods, it
is of vital importance to understand what
slums actually are.

1.1 SLUMS

Slums can be defined as informal

settlements and in simple language, houses
of the poor. These are houses with
substandard and low living conditions which
Satnami Nagar Slum Bhopal
range from being permanent solid structures
(http://www.walkthroughindia.com/lifestyle/m
ajor-slum-areas-in-top-indian-cities/) to temporary shacks. Slums can be easily
identified amongst the well maintained
houses as slums creeps in the dirty lanes

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 International Journal of Research (IJR) Vol-1, Issue-6, July 2014 ISSN 2348-6848

with unhygienic habits and no maintenance 1.1.4 Durability of Housing: Having a

whatsoever. According to UN Habitat, proper and safe shelter to reside is
houses that lack in any of these following the most basic right of every human.
elements fall under the category of slums If there is no permanent and
adequate housing then the area
1.1.1 Access to Water: If there is no having such problem can be termed
direct and affordable access to fresh has a slum.
water for drinking and other 1.1.5 Sufficient Living Area: If the
household domestic purposes then people living in a particular area
the system comes under the category don’t have the sufficient area that
of being a slum. Water is the most they need, in order to comfortably
basic need for survival and if one has live then that area shall come under a
to struggle or put an effort to get it, slum category. Not more than two
then that has to be a problem in a people should share the same room
great need for some sort of solution. in normal conditions.
1.1.2 Access to proper Sanitation: One
of the major area of concern while In the lack of any above described element
considering a residential area is the area is considered to be a slum. These
perhaps the availability or presence criteria’s have been formed by the United
of an efficient sanitation system. If Nations agency UN HABITAT to address
an area lacks in the access of a and hence improve the condition of the
proper excreta disposal system then existing slums in the world which is
it can be called a slum. Sanitation constantly increasing due to the increase in
can be either personal or private population in the developing countries.
toilet i.e. one for each house or it can Slums are the reflection of a country’s
be a public toilet which is being poverty as they are a manifestation of the
shared between a reasonable number lowest level of income of a place.
of people, in any case having access
to it is what matters. 2.0 EXISTENCE OF SLUMS
1.1.3 Security of Tenure: Lack of There are many reasons for slums to develop
security of tenure for the people in a city, however if we need to summarize
residing in slum makes them the reasons to help formulation possible
vulnerable to forced evictions and solutions to the various problems that occur
other forms of harassments. Such due to them, then those reasons would be,
actions of forcefully evicting people according to the UN- Habitable, as follows:
from their so called houses, leads
them to go even deeper in the tunnel 2.1 Rapid urban- rural migration:
of poverty which in turn stimulates Due to a significant increase in
the formation of more such slums. the reduction of the population
engaged in agricultural activities

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 International Journal of Research (IJR) Vol-1, Issue-6, July 2014 ISSN 2348-6848

and an increase in the job not the solution but rather mere delaying the
opportunities in the urban areas, development and in some cases prevention
people from agricultural from the same happened due to these
backgrounds are migrating at a actions. Slums don’t need to be removed as
great pace in the urban areas. they have the labor force dwelling there
Thus the massive increase in the without which the whole system of works
population of cities becomes a can get disturbed. This needs to be given
huge problem for the planners to through thoughts and an understanding of
cope up with. As a result slums the chosen site in order to create conditions
are formed in these cities. for long term poverty reduction and to
2.2 Insecure Tenure: Another gradually raise the quality of life in poor
reason is having insecure tenures neighborhoods. Comprehensive study of the
which prevent the residents of various aspects that creates inhabitable
slums from having any sorts of situations in slums and providing people
developments in the area on a with proper, affordable and feasible
community level. Studies have solutions is the only way to improve the
revealed that community led existing conditions and lay the foundation of
slum development initiatives, a more secure future for slum dwellers.
formal or informal, are more
likely to work and succeed. 3.1 Expansion of urban
2.3 Globalization: Rapid infrastructure: Upgrading the
globalization has led to a major existing slums if they are in
problem that equally contributes reasonable condition and
to slum formation as any other development for the ones that are
factor. Globalization led to in poor conditions in an
capitalization which further affordable fashion without
increased the social problems of getting the residents to put
inequality and an uneven extreme efforts to relate to the
distribution of new wealth. This change seems to a definite way
increased the poverty in both of redevelopment.
urban and rural areas leading to 3.2 Improvement in terms of
the formation of slums. providing with water and
sanitation facilities and Health
3.0 RE-DEVELOMENT OF issues: Development in terms of
SLUMS health and hygiene comes first
and foremost. With combined
Throughout the years the only solutions of efforts of public and private
the increasing problems of slum formation sectors together with
have been eradication, forced eviction and involvement of community and
perhaps neglecting the problem. These are NGO’s there should be

An Insight on Slums by Pallavi Tiwari 712

 International Journal of Research (IJR) Vol-1, Issue-6, July 2014 ISSN 2348-6848

establishments of 'Neighborhood would help the slum dwellers to

Committees, which would be raise their income which would
mandated to look into the further lead to more development
location and provision of health options.
facilities, Preventive health 3.4 Increasing Awareness: Slum
messages on general dwellers somehow get involved
health/hygiene, malnutrition, in various anti social activities in
immunization, cancer screening, order to earn a living. Slums
HIV/AIDS, drug abuse and have the most important labor
female infanticide should be force; they provide the middle
taken care of. Involvement of and upper classes of society with
community in sanitation and the a network of services without
role of women in this activity which the entire urban system
should be encouraged. might just halt. Having known
3.3 Training and skill this, there are also anti social
development: Participation of activities like involvement in
slum dwellers in development drug abuse, stealing activities,
programs and various processes child labor etc. To overcome
involved in them. This is these issues, awareness should be
important as it reflects people's created amongst people should
will and confidence. There is a be encouraged which shall
need to sensitize and impart inform and introduce them of the
training to the personnel involved negative impacts of such
and participation in city planning activities on their own
practices. Training on aspects development and the
like public health, hygiene and development of the whole society
sanitation, communication skills of which they are a part of. Also
as well as on group dynamics and new job options should be
personality development are created by making them
needed. PLA (Participatory participate in various
Learning and Action) methods developmental activities.
should be employed by local 3.5 Encouraging Education in
NGOs (as have been done in slum areas: Together with
places around the world) with awareness about different factors
communities to understand them, it is of utmost importance to
assess their needs, formulate educate the people. At first it can
goals /objectives based on the be a repelling thing to do but
identified needs, and assess interesting and creative
resources and constraints initiatives should be taken on the
Training in micro level skills community level to promote the

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 International Journal of Research (IJR) Vol-1, Issue-6, July 2014 ISSN 2348-6848

importance of education. Also growths, urban corridors, so that

cooperation from municipal urbanization takes place in a dispersed
cooperation’s of different areas manner, delivery of civic amenities and
would be much appreciated. provision of utilities with emphasis on
3.6 Design that Slum dwellers can universal access to urban poor and urban
adapt and appraise: When we renewal programmes, i.e., re-development of
say that the infrastructure needs inner (old) cities area to reduce congestion.
to be improved it is not advisory Another such NGO is Rajiv Awas Yojana
to convert their dwellings into (RAY) announced by the Hon‟ble President
flats. The needs of slum dwellers of India on 4th June, 2009, for the slum
are much more different and dwellers and the urban poor envisages a
complex than that of the regular „Slum-free India‟ through encouraging
urban population. So while States/Union Territories to tackle the
designing for a different class the problem of slums in a definitive manner.
design methodology would be Many other NGO’s and government
very different. There should be a agencies have been working for the re
deep analysis of the activities, development of slums.
future possibilities and the
psychology of those people.
5.0 CONCLUSION
4.0 WORKS ALREADY BEING Quite often it is observed that governments
DONE FOR THE and local authorities hold themselves back
REDEVELOPMENT OF SLUMS from any development projects for slums
because slum dwellers, if given a better
There are many NGO’S that work for the re- option and alternative, somehow do not
development of slums on various levels. appreciate it and move back to slums due to
Sahyog is a NGO working in these slums for financial conditions and slums appears to be
upliftment of females in the slums in the best way to survive in the urban
Bhopal. Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban scenario. The aim should not be to remove
Renewal Mission is a massive city slums and forcefully evict people from their
modernization scheme launched by the houses. There are many drawbacks of a slum
Government of India under Ministry of but one cannot neglect the facts that due to
Urban Development. It aims on the existence of slums and migration of rural
infrastructural services, increase self- population to urban cities there is
sustaining capabilities of cities, ensuring development of those people to a significant
adequate investment of funds to fulfill level. We come across many headlines
deficiencies in the urban infrastructural stating student from slum reached
services, planned development of identified university. So it is not just the negative
cities including peri-urban areas, out aspects of slums that should be considered

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 International Journal of Research (IJR) Vol-1, Issue-6, July 2014 ISSN 2348-6848

while deciding their fate but importance to UN-Habitat 21st session of the governing
the future possibilities and advancement council 16 - 20 April 2007, Nairobi, Kenya
should be given an equal weight-age. If
http://www.unhabitat.org/downloads/docs/15
consistent efforts are made for the
23_32765_security_of_tenure_bp.pdf
understanding of the needs of slum dwellers,
http://infoscience.epfl.ch/record/128245/file
and providing with sufficient job
s/Slums.pdf
opportunities is achieved then the word slum
http://www.preventionweb.net/files/1700_46
would not hold the same meaning as it does
2551419GC202120What20are20slums.pdf
today and instead of being considered a
http://www.hindu.com/pp/2008/03/09/stories/
hindrance in the path of overall development
2008030950150600.htm
it would be appreciated for having
contributing towards it.

REFERENCES:

Biju Gobind (2008) The hindu ‘How to

improve living conditions of slum-dwellers’
Bhopal city development plan Jnnurm
Jawaharlal Nehru National urban renewal
mission
Jean – Claude Bolay Slums and Urban
Development: Questions on Society and
Globalization Marjolein Benschop (2003)
Security of tenure- Best practices
Mike Davis (2007) Planet of earth
(Pushpa Agnihotri (1994) Poverty amidst
prosperity: survey of slums
SPARC (2003) Regulatory guidelines for
urban upgradation- The case of Mumbai.
UN-Habitat (2003a) the challenge of slums:
global report on human settlements 2003
UN-Habitat (2003b) Slums of the world: the
face of urban poverty in the new millennium.
UN-Habitat (2003c) Rental housing: an
essential option for the urban poor in
developing countries.
Rajiv Awas Yojana (RAY) (June 2011)
Guidelines on Community Participation

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