Slums in Mumbai
All around the world, populations are increasing at a rapid rate. More than half of the world’s population lives in urban areas. The combination of rapid urbanization, scarce resources, and high population growth are taking a toll on individuals living in slums in poor areas such as Mumbai. Since Mumbai is a pretty expensive place to live in, it is home to some of the world’s richest and poorest people. “Today, over half of Mumbai’s population of over 15 million lives in settlements, occupying only 8% of the city’s area” (Anand and Rademacher). It is the largest slum in the world. The government thinks it is best to get rid of the slum because the land is very valuable, but demolishing this slum would cause disastrous effects to the city as a whole. As the slum population in Mumbai rapidly increases, it is essential to upgrade the current living areas instead of eliminating them considering that the slums provide many benefits to the community such as consuming less resources, and being homes to a vast number of individuals that make up the majority of the working class.
The slum can be seen as a self sufficient, self-sustaining village community. The reason that individuals move to slums is most likely because of their rural villages being struck by drought and desertification caused by climate change. The slum is also unexpectedly green because of their maximum density. Compared to individuals who live in areas of lower densities, people in slums use fewer resources since they are so densely packed together. “Eighty percent of the city’s people live in homes less than 100 square feet in area” (Anand and Rademacher). They are forced to conserve all the resources that are available to them because it has to be spread throughout the entire slum community. Since people in the slums get around by foot, rickshaw, bicycle or taxi, they use much less energy and resources than those in the city who uses cars everyday. Slum dwellers tend to have a much lower ecological
The slum can be seen as a self sufficient, self-sustaining village community. The reason that individuals move to slums is most likely because of their rural villages being struck by drought and desertification caused by climate change. The slum is also unexpectedly green because of their maximum density. Compared to individuals who live in areas of lower densities, people in slums use fewer resources since they are so densely packed together. “Eighty percent of the city’s people live in homes less than 100 square feet in area” (Anand and Rademacher). They are forced to conserve all the resources that are available to them because it has to be spread throughout the entire slum community. Since people in the slums get around by foot, rickshaw, bicycle or taxi, they use much less energy and resources than those in the city who uses cars everyday. Slum dwellers tend to have a much lower ecological
Cited: Anand, Nikhil, and Anne Rademacher. "Housing in the Urban Age: Inequality and Aspiration in Mumbai." 43.5 (2011): 1748-772. Academic Search Premier. Web. 2 Mar. 2013. Robinson, Simon. "Remaking Mumbai." 171.7 (2008): 1-4. EBSCOhost.com. Time Inc., 18 Feb. 2008. Web. 2 Mar. 2013. Yardley, Jim. "INDIA 'S WAY; In One Slum, Misery, Work, Politics and Hope." The New York Times. The New York Times, 29 Dec. 2011. Web. 02 Mar. 2013.