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NEWS ACTIVITIES
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Urban Poor in CalcuttaRabial MallickIntroduction
Although the urbanisation process and the cities are widely acknowledged to be associated with increasing national production and higher levels of per capita GDP, poverty remains persistent feature of urban life, both in terms of income and in miserating living condition, in India. In 1987-88 for the first time the percentage of urban poor (40.1 per cent) surpassed that of the rural poor (39.3 per cent) in the country. After taking into consideration the estimates prepared by the Lakdawala committee, the planning commission estimated the population below the poverty line for 1993-94 at 76.3 million (constituting 32.4 per cent of the urban population) and 244.0 million in rural areas (37.2 per cent of the rural population). The geographical distribution of poverty is highly uneven. In the states of Bihar, Utter Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh, around 30 per cent of the urban population live below the poverty line as compared to around 3 to 7 per cent in Himachal Pradesh and Panjab. The rapid increase in city population (presently around 28 per cent) has resulted in the growth of what is called slums and squatter settlements creating problems ----- social, economic, and environmental. In facts, slums and squatter settlements are perhaps in Third World towns and cities. Around 20 to 25 per cent of the urban households in the country live in slums, squatter settlements and refugee colonies due to non-availability of affordable habitat in formal settlements. According to Government figures, the percentage of urban households living in recognized slums is highest in Maharashtra (25.4) followed by Orissa (19.1), Arunachal Pradesh (18.2), Madhya Pradesh (18.1), and West Bengal (17.6). According to a rough estimated the magnitude of slum population needing attention has been estimated to be about 33.1 million in 1985 and over 35 million in the early 90 out of which only about 7million have been covered so far by the various schemes in the five year plans. Problems
of Calcutta The
problem of Calcutta’s urban poor (as also of other metro centers) has
bedeviled planners and social scientists for quite some time not just because of
the living condition but also because of the grueling in sanitary surrounding
and a shocking poverty. With slums mushrooming at an alarming rate, current
methodologies to control and limit them have not been successful. Even the
number of slum-dwellers over four million in Calcutta, excluding those living in
the so-called unregistered and unauthorised squatter settlements (numbering
another 1 million or), paralyses one’s imagination for drawing up a rational
framework for development work in the slums. Perhaps the only redeeming feature
has been the indomitable urge and ingenuity of the slum dwellers themselves to
struggle for a survival in such misery and squall. A
survey clearly reveals that in the city where slums exist virtually in all the
municipal wards, slum improvement has not been attempted in a comprehensive
manner and limited only to the recognized slums whereas schemes of development
and housing in the satellite centers (like Slat Lake and Baishnabghata) have
progeressed, benefiting only the middle and also the high income groups. Now
another Satellite Township is expected to come will not benefit the poorer
section. It
was in 1966 for the first time a project proposal for slum improvement work was
drawn up by the Calcutta Metropolitan Planning Organization (CMPO) for improving
the sanitary situation in the slums
mainly to control cholera and other enteric diseases. The standard of slum
improvement has been as follows: (1) One sanitary toilet for 5 families or 25
persons, (2) One water tap for 50—100 persons, (3) Some improvement in the
drainage and internal road system and putting up street lights. Some sincere
efforts have no doubt been made by the Calcutta Metropolitan Development
Authority (CMDA)during the period 1971 to 1998 though a lot more needs to be
done. It may be mentioned here that along with the physical improvement of
slums, a number of welfare measures have been taken up by the state Government
which include improving the educational, nutritional and health status of the
slum people. Apart from government efforts, the NGO’s are active in the slums
and squatter settlements and have been carrying out notable development work for
street children and also for upgradation of unrecognized slums and squatter
settlements. According
to an official estimate, the average annual additional need for housing in the
Calcutta Metropolitan Standard Urban Area (CMSUA) is around 70.000 units while
the annual addition to housing stock has been in the range of 20.000 units. If
this trend is allowed to remain unchecked the gap between the need and supply
will gradually increase. Any meaningful programme should aim at providing
shelter, specially to the economically weaker section, at a price that would be
affordable to the group. Thus a strategy has to be adapted to address the same
on a large enough scale and this would be possible if efforts are made to
address are made to address all the major elements in shelter improvement which
include (1) improving the sanitation and living condition in the existing slums
and other squatter settlements, (2) developing land for shelter promotion,
particularly for the economically weaker section, and (3)ensuring maintenance
and upgradation of the existing housing stock of the poorer sections. Official
estimates point out that the uncovered slum population in the CMSUA is over
10.38 lakhs (as of 1990) and at per capita development cost of Rs.1000, the
total cost will be around Rs.104 crores. The uncovered refugee colony population
stands 7 lakhs and at per capita development cost of Rs.1500, the total cost of
around Rs.105 crores. Presently, however, the investment needs of this two
section would now stand at around Rs.140 to Rs.150 crores each. Apart from this,
the development cost- of squatter settlers and pavement dwellers have been
estimated at Rs.25 crores and Rs.5 crores respectively but this now stands at
around Rs.50 crores presently. It is admitted by the
municipal authorities (and also the Calcutta Metropolitan Development Authority)
that providing basic civic services like water, sanitation, shelter and health
facilities to the population of the city which is over 13 million is indeed a
gigantic task. The development work in the slums has to be extensified for
creating a healthy environment. It needs to be pointed out here that the theme
of the world Habitat Day this year is Cities
for All and unless the problems of the
poorest section of society (who number around five million) are addressed
effectively, the city would not reach its fulfillment. Calcutta is a growing
city and very much on the world map and as such its problems have to be tackled
primarily keeping in view the need of the slum dwellers, squatter settlers and
pavement dwellers. Obviously the issues affecting the above section could be
handled under the umbrella of strong development organisation with a competent
and dedicated leadership not drawn from the bureaucracy, as at present, but from
the people. Only then will the problems of the poor in the city get the right
attention and proper treatment. Table I : Slum Population in Mega Cites** 10 Lakhs = 1 Million |
Send mail to Maurice Leonhardt achr@loxinfo.co.th with
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