Indian Slums Close on the Heels of Urban Areas

Bangalore: An Indian slum life can be a very difficult one to lead as most slums in the country are deprived of basic facilities by their states. Slums in states like Rajasthan, Gujarat and Bihar have a huge amount of population that remains unrecognized by the state governments, reports Rema Nagarajan for The Times of India.

The census data on slums has found out that slum dwellers live under extremely harsh conditions. People reside in compact areas with a population of at least 300, in an intensely unhygienic environment. The inadequate infrastructure, improper sanitation and drinking water facilities make it more challenging for those living in slums. In previous samples of slum ratings, only the people in areas recognized as slums by state or local authorities were counted.

States like Haryana, Delhi, Assam, Jammu & Kashmir and Jharkhand have seen more slum dwellers in remote areas than in the notified or recognized slums. The number of slums in towns has risen from 1,743 in 2001 to 2,613 in 2011, out of a total of 4,041 towns in India.

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