Slum Demolitions in India

We recently met with an Indian film-maker who has put together a documentary and photo-book on slum demolition India. We will hopefully be publishing his photo-book over the next couple of months.

Over the past two years India has destroyed thousands of slums rendering millions of people homeless. Generally there is little, if any compensation, and frequently, no notice of evictions. Allegations have been made of 'illegal' evictions done by lighting slums on fire to bypass laws. The laws generally favour the state though and tend to criminalise homelessness.

Its a really difficult issue here. On the one hand, people in big cities like Delhi and Mumbai, obviously don't really want to live next to acres of slums. Who does. So politicians get pressured into taking apart these slums, or else residents take the matter to courts who order the illegal dwellings to be taken down.

On the other side, often these people have been displaced from other regions by disasters both natural and man made. A lot of the slum dwellers living in a slum destroyed this year in Mumbai were 'tsunami-refugees' and here in Delhi, a lot come from areas of land flooded by hydroelectric projects or gone dry because of water misuse. A lot flee because of caste conflict. Few come to live in slums through choice. And when their slums are destroyed, no alternative housing is provided so most drift off to other slums, further away from affluent areas.

There is an interesting article on the issue here:

But more interesting were the comments from Indians, ranging from this:

It is the mindset of the slum dwellers which has to be demolished. They prefer to be slum dwellers even when they are encouraged to come out of the slums. They do not want to change their habits or culture as they find peace and heaven in that atmosphere. Some slum dwellers I suspect may be richer than those who live in palaces and pansions. They cannot change their life styles. They believe they are smarter than those living normal lives who are considered foolish by them. UN will do well to make endeavours to change their psychology so that they voluntarily get out of their slums.

to this:

I am amazed what UN has to do with Slum demolition in Mumbai and Delhi. The Slums demolished are not created on free land. It was land that was purchased by individuals or civic body plots which are reserved for the facilities for the people who pay taxes. Does UN mean to say that tax payers not to be considered for their money beacuse someone puts lsum there! The report creator is seems Indian origin. It seems that the natural interest in Indian matters has reflected in report rather than the fair non-judgemental reporting. I would request Miloon Kothari to travel one week in Mumbai local train and lets see if he sustains the unhyginic air from the slum area. I bet, he will never write any report. Mumbai Authorities are strict on demolitions of slums after 1995. Its fair and profesional act. No nation, city or human in the world can bear forcefull occupation on legal owners land. Mr. Kothari, if you so lighthened and touched, please come forward, take one slum dewller person and give your flats one room to live. then talk this kind of non-sense report.

and this:

Kudos to Mr. Miloon Kothari for taking a stand on the issue of slum demolitions in Mumbai! Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh needs to do a reality check if he thinks he can make Mumbai a world class city at the heavy cost displacing an already vulnerable slum population. Blindly demolishing the slums and uprooting thousands of families and children is not a sign of sound city planning. If he wants to wish away poverty from the city of Mumbai, he needs to do more than bulldoze people's homes. Can the Shanghai-bedazzled Deshmukh please focus on applying some thought, time and resources to some strategic and concrete action plans for housing the poor???

I am looking forward to putting together the book, it should be an interesting project.