STATUS OF LIVING CONDITIONS OF URBAN POOR: DELHI Government’s Plans and Commitments

The MCD standing committee has taken note of the miserable condition of public toilets and decided that no private player will be involved in their upkeep. The agency has decided to take matters in its own hands and sanctioned Rs. 50 crores for maintenance of public toilets. The engineer-in-chief was asked to submit a blueprint within the next 48 hours. (The Times of India, 31 May 07 “MCD to keep private firms off public toilets” (TNN) )

Keeping the Commonwealth Games in mind, the New Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC) is all set to revamp a number of public convenience centres and make them more accessible for people with limited mobility NDMC roped in an NGO Svayam to conduct a survey A total of 94 public convenience centres have been identified The sewer lines would be laid in 30 villages. It would be ensured that all 189 rural villages that have been lagging in development of civic amenities are brought at par (The Hindu, 9 Jun 07 “Delhi’s rural areas to get sewer lines: Sheila” (Staff Reporter) and The Times of India, 9 Jun 07, “NDMC to revamp public toilet system” (TOI reporter)

Following the success of Chiranjeevi scheme in Gujarat that helped pregnant women get free delivery services from private institutions, the Delhi Health Department plans to tie up with private hospitals to provide maternity and child care to below the poverty line (BPL) families. The Indian Express, 18 May 07 “BPL families to get maternity, childcare” (Teena Thacker)

The Delhi Cabinet approved an incentive–based Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA) Scheme in Delhi…. 5,450 activists would be deployed to cover 109 lakh residents of cluster, resettlement colonies, unauthorized colonies and rural villages under the scheme. Under this scheme, women who volunteer from local community will be selected and trained to reinforce community action (The Indian Express, 22 May 07 “Cabinet okays ASHA for ailing Delhi” (ENS) and The Hindu, 22 May 07 “New social health scheme for vulnerable sections” (Staff Reporter))

The PWD department of the Delhi government would put up a Cabinet note in its next meeting for allowing only one civic agency to be engaged in developmental works in 1,072 regularised unauthorized colonies in the capital. Delhi Jal Board was instructed to begin laying down pipe water supply in these colonies. Only concrete cement roads would be constructed in these colonies now onwards. (The Asian Age, 10 May 07 “One civic agency to work in regularized colonies” (Correspondent) )

The government is planning to promote low-cost housing for the urban poor. The construction of the 10,000 flats for people living in slums and JJ clusters is expected to begin soon as land of the project – (The Indian Express, 2 Jun 07 “Slum relocation: Revenue Dept moves land for project to DSIIDC” (ENS) )

Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit claimed that the jhuggi clusters in the capital will soon be history. The government has decided to start construction of 40,000 low-cost flats for JJ dwellers and other members of economically weaker sections under a crash programme. JJ dwellers will not be forced to be witness of uprooting of jhuggies, bulldozers in slums and resettlement again and again. They will have a respectful address in four-storey complex with ownership right. (The Asian Age, 10 Jun 07 “Sheila: JJ clusters will soon be history” (Correspondent)

The government will start construction of flats in large scale in July this year.” dwellers The government will make available easy loan for the flats, which will be located in a well developed area with schools, dispensaries, shops, playgrounds among other civic necessities. (The Asian Age, 10 Jun 07 “Sheila: JJ clusters will soon be history” (Correspondent) Sajjan Kumar, the Congress MP promised that the Delhi Jal Board would not be collecting development charges from residents of unauthroised colonies while laying water pipelines in their areas. The Hindu, 6 Jun 07 “DJB breather for illegal colonies” (Staff reporter)

Recently, a committee was formed comprising senior officials of MCD, Urban Development Ministry, and DJB to work out the details of these plans and to find an alternative to speed up the process of making the layout plans for these 1,400-odd colonies. (The Times of India, 8 Jun 07 “After legal tag, colonies have to wait 3 yrs for water, drains” (Ruhi Bhasin)) Sheila Dikshit, Chief Minister Delhi said the residents of JJ clusters would also be able to apply for ration cards from next month and this would enable them to derive all benefits under the Public Distribution System. (The Hindu, 26 May 07 “Move to woo residents of slum clusters in Delhi” (Staff reporter)

What is the Community Experiencing?

The closure of several public toilets in the lower income group residential areas in Delhi including Kalyanpuri, Sunlight Colony, Janata Mazdoor Colony and Tigri slums has resulted in denial of “basic living amenities” to women and the elderly. Especially hit are women and young girls who have had to battle the situation for nearly a year now. Of the 228 households only 25 per cent have their own toilets (The Hindu, 4 Jun 07 “Women hit by closure of public toilets” )

Residents of Samgam Vihar staged a complete bandh on 17 Jun 07 to protest against the slow pace of regularization by the government. They were protesting against the lack of civic amenities in their area, including poor supply of water and electricity. According to MLA of the area, there are severe water and sewage problems and nobody is willing to take them up. (The Times of India, 18 Jun 07 “Sangam Vihar shuts down over bijli, paani”

What are Experts Saying?

With no proper layout plans available with the MCD for the unauthorized colonies regularized, it will take at least three year after they get the legal tag to provide these 14,000 odd colonies with proper sewer and water pipelines. (The Times of India, 8 Jun 07 “After legal tag, colonies have to wait 3 yrs for water, drains” (Ruhi Bhasin) )

Relief Measures

Cabinet extends grant of temporary relief from forcible action to unauthorized construction in the Capital in the form of encroachment by slum and jhuggi-khonpri dwellers, hawkers and urban street vendors by according its approval for promulgation of the National Capital Territory of Delhi Laws (special Provisions) Ordinance The decision was taken after Union Minister for Urban Development S. Jaipal Reddy had along with his deputy Ajay Maken met Delhi Lieutenant-Governor Tejendra Khanna and CM Sheila Dikshit to discuss the issue. The Hindu, 17 Jun 07, “1 more year of relief for slum dwellers”

The Lt. Governor of Delhi Mr. Tejinder Khanna has turned the largely ceremonial office into a monitoring authority that is now closely watching the responses of Sheila Dikshit government. Mr. Khanna has opened “The Listening Post” under the grievances redressal system a centre that received the complaints, registers them and puts on a website that has been specially created for the purpose. All government department heads are required to log in everyday, check the website for specific complaints, take action and inform the Lt. Governor of this on the website itself. (The Asian Age, 25 May 07, “New monitoring authority” (Manish Anand)