SLUM AS A SOURCE OF ENVIRONMENTAL...
Transcript of SLUM AS A SOURCE OF ENVIRONMENTAL...
SLUM AS A SOURCE OF ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
Social pollution is becoming a scrious problem in the cities. Due to the industrial
growth and expansion of commercial activities. urban-rural migration has given rise to
the growth of a large number of slums. The location of slums arc generally relegated to
sites that are lease desirable from the habitat point of view - low lying area that arc
susceptible to inundation, quarry pits, tank beds, along railway lines, near cemeteries,
slaughter houses etc., making the city unhealthy. Social and economic problems arc also
impartant in inducing social pollution. Inadequate income has led to an increase in crime
as well as prostitution in slums. Practices such as the intake of alcohol, use of open
spaces or drains as latrines and improper disposal of garbage in front of dwelling places
are aspects of social and visual pollution. Most social problems arise from low-income
ilrciis illid slums.
Definition Of Slums
Slums have been said to be 'nothing but an area of substandard housing' and slum
problem is. there fore essentially the problem of shelter for the poor (Desai and Pillai,
1072). According to an UNESCO document "a slum is a building, a group of buildings or
nil urcn charnctcriscd by over crowding. deterioration, unsanitary conditions or absence of
facilities or amenities, which because of these conditions or any of them endanger the
health, safety or morals of its inhabitants or the community". Hence as a working
definition of slums one can say that slums are ' contiguous and yet at times physically
separated geographic spaces within the legal urban limits of a city that are characterised
with scrious lack of basic amenities and sanitation with dense and over crowded housing
conditions where dwelling units range variously in terms of the use of building materials
for walls and roofs available rather than cheap with substantial contribution of one's own
or very cheap labour for the shaping of such dwellings and surrounding*' (Das,1991).
Chatkt Abrebun a well-known authority on housing problems says "Slum lifi is the first
advance from homeless into shelter'.
Spatial distribution of slums in Bangalore metropolitan
Bangalore Urban Agglomeration covers an area of 451 q.km and has population
of 4.086 million as per 1991 census. Nearly 65 percent of h e population lives within
Bangalore City Corporation limits. With the rapid growth of population the number of
slums have increased from 159 in 1971-72 to 290 in 1978 to 444 in 1990-91. The total
slum population is approximately 1.12 million, Thus 20 percent of the population ( I 99 1 )
of Bangalore Urban Agglomeration can be considered as slum population. The area
occupied by thc slums is 3451 acrcs (National Sample Survey, 1980).
Location and pattern of slums
The location of 444 slums of Bmgalorc Metropolitan area can be broadly divided
into three zones namely city core. intermediate and periphery, each zone in one way or
tlrc othcr rcprcscnts a distinct physical paltcrn of thc slunls of that part of the city. The
area covering thrce major commercial centres of (a) City market (b) Majestic area 1 City
railway station and (c) Russell market IShivajinagar together covering an area of 6 s q . h
is treated as the con. The area falling between this core and approximately the city
corporation boundary is treated intermediary zone and area beyond this defined as
periphery. 'The present location and distribution of slums indicate that the largest
concentration occurs in the intermediate zone of the city that is between the city core and
thc pcriphery. Out of 444 slums 32 are in the core 246 in the intermediary and the
remaining 166 in the periphery. The slums in tire core are developed by commercial and
rosidc~rtilrl urcus und tlrc slutrrs in t b intcrmccliutc zone arc cnvclopcd by tlrc expanding
residential nrcils of the intermediate zone. The slums in the periphery are in proximity to
lhc ~~cwly growing induslrial arcs.
Bangalore City covers 134.43 sq.km. of area, it has together 237 slums with total
population of 3,28,072 constituting 61,351 households and area occupied by the slums
is 401.80 acrcs (KSCB, 1997). A mFul study of the table NO. 8.1 gives the details of
the range wise spatial distribution of slums in Bangalon city.
Table No. 8.1 Range Wise Distribution Of Slums And Their Chaructcriatics In Bangalorc City- 1997
Source: Karnataka State Slum Clearance Board (KSCB)
MNCE WISE CHARACTERlSTICS OF SLUMS : Basavanagudi
This zone lies towards the southern parts of the city with 6,5 pertent of the total
city arca. 'This range has l l slums covering 22.71 acres of land with P density of 380
persons per acre and 1753 housel~olds with 2.63 pcrccnt of total Slum population.
Bharathinagar
Ttiis is a residential area lies towards eastern part of the city vith 7.5 percent of
the total city area. This range has 24 slums covering an area of 24.12 acres of land with a
~ i t y of 720 persons per m and a total of 3 108 households with 5.30 prremc d
slum population.
It is a zone of industrial workers and lies towards western put of UF city ~ i *
9.6 percent of the total city area. This rage has 17 slums covering an area of 25.72 acres
of land with a highest of 2253 persons per acre and a total of 7995 households. This
range ranks 2* in the number of slum population of 17.66 percent. The highest density
and largest population is mainly due to the migration of low income job seekers from
different parts of the state as well as neighbouring states.
Jayamahal
This zone lies towards the northern part of thc city. In terms of area it ranks 4th
with 10.2 percent of the city's total area. Though much of the area covered by the upper
class rcsidcntial localitics it has 15 slun~s covering an area of 22.55 acrcs of land with a
density of 803 persons per acre and constituting a total of 3248 households. This range
accounts 5.52 percent of total slum population.
Chamarajpet
'Ibis zone lics to the southern portion of old core of city accounting for 3.1
percent of total city area. This range has 2"d highest number of slums covering an area of
29.01 acrcs of land with 1 180 persons pcr acrc and a total of 6875 households. This range
ranks 4Ih in population size with 10.43 percent of total slum population. This high
population is mainly duc to thc location of city's major vegetable market and bus
terminals.
Cliikpct
Chikpet is one of the major commercial centres of the city, accounting for a high
floatingpopulation. Being a smallest range in size with 1.8 percent of the total city area,
there arc 8 slums coveting an area of 7.76 acres of land with 1070 persons per acre and a
total of 1626 households. n i s range accounts 2.52 percent of total slum population.
Gandhinagar
it occupies central part of the city with 2.7 percent of the total city area, Being a
commercial and residential area this rangc has 20 slums covering an arca of 25.08 acrcs
of land with 745 persons per acrc and total of 363 1 households with 5.70 pcrccnt of total
slum population.
Jayanagat
In terms of area Jayanagar is the second largest zone with 14 percent of the total
city area. Though it is well planned with better class residential localities it has highest
tiumber of 46 slums covering a larger area of 90.06 acres of land with a density of 71 3
persons per ace. This range also constituting highest number of 12501 households and
19.60 pcrccnt of total slum population.
Malleshwaram
'I'his rangc lies to the wcstern part of Ihc city with 11.4 pcrccnt of total city arca.
Being one of the oldest residential areas, it has 25 slun~s covering an m a of 46,08acrcs
of land with a density of 553 persons p r acre. All these slums together constitute 4548
liauscholds with 7.78 percent of total slutn population.
Rajajinagar
One of the major residential arcas in thc city. this zone ranks 5th in terms of area
with 9.8 percent. There are 19 slums covering an area of 57.21 acres of land with a
density of 545 persons per acre and constituting a total of 5094 households. This range
accounts 9.5 1 percent of total slum population.
Shanthinagar range lies towards the southeastern part of the city. Being a
residential area it tanks 1' in size and it covers a vast area of 16.5 percent of total city
area. There are 17 slums with en area of 46.39 acres of land with a density of 880 persons
pet acre. This range amtiwing s c m d highest number of 10,405 howholds and ranks third with 12.45 percent of total alum population.
Shivajinagar
One of the major commercial centres. with a small arm of 6.6 percent of total city area.
This range has only 6 slums covering an area of 5.1 1 acrcs of land with a density of 574
persons per acre. This range constituting 487 households with lowest 0.90 percent of total
slum population.
Table - 8.2 Distribution Of Slums By Ownership Of Land
Source : Compiled from the records of KSCB.
LAND OWNERSHIP .- Private
Uangalore City Corporation
Bangalore Development Aulliorily
Ciovemment
Total
In Bangalore City the largest proportion 48.10 percent of slums are on privalc
land. Thc study area covers whole urban tracks, a considerable number of 33.75 percent of
slums are found on Bangalore City Corporation land (BCC) and 10.55 pcrcent on
Bangalore Development Authority land (BDA). About 7.60 percent of the slums are found
to be on government land.
SAMPLE STUDY OF SOCIAL STRUCTURE OF SLUMS - METHODOLOGY
NUMBER OF SLUMS
114
80
25
18
237
To study the physical and cultural characteristic of slums in Bangalore City, 12
slums each representing a range have been selected. It was decided to study 120
households by taking 10 households from each slum. All the 12 slums have been studied
by pcrsonal fieldwork and questionnaire survey.
. PERCENTAGE
48.10
33.75
10.55
7.60
100.00
The slum rrady schsdulea includcd blocks of questions peruining to 1) Slum location
2) Areal expansion 3) Demographic characieristics such as Population size, Occupation,
Income. Religious composition. Linguistic composition and Economic status. 4) Housing
structure 5) Amcnitics in slums such as Availability of walcr, Drainage, Latrine and
Dustbins 6) Environrncntal conditions and its impact on health of the slum dwellers and 8)
Crimc and Violence in slums.
In keeping with the objectives of the study the following criteria were kept in mind:
1. Suficiently old slums
2. Suflicicnlly smaller slums
3. Suff~cienty larger slums
4. Slums with as nlony caste, regional. religious and linguistic groups
5. Slums suf?iciently close to industrial, residential and comniercial areas and
0. S~UIIIS sufticicntly closc to thc railway lincs and roads.
Table - 8.3 Characteristics of 12 san~ple slums selected in Bangalore -
City
01
02
03
SI No
04
05
06
07
Ownership of Iht land
Name of the Slum
Vcnkatatamana lluts
Muniyapp Garden
lndira Colony
08
09
- - -
12 Swcepers Colony 1 BCC 2.10 173 1095 52 1 I
Anandapuram
Anjanappa Garden
Arasu Huts
Ashoka Talkies
10
I I
Sourcc : Karnataka State Slum Clearance Board ( KSCB ), Bangalore.
Area in Acres
Private
Private
Private
Nakalu Oandhai
Mahuaia Mills
Private
Private
BCC
BCC
Agrahara Dasarahalli
Rajcndhranagar
Total No. of hub
6.30
1.00
3.36
Private
Privatc
2.05
2.27
1.00
1.20
Govt.,
BCC
Total Populallon
347
270
103
3.00
0.36
Dcnrity
866
392
91
135
2.20
4.00
I550
1450
500
360
283
246
1450
148
4330
2134
550
273
387
2500
21 12
940
550
227
2040
I674
680
4638
2246
9000
I020
2250
Demographic Characteristic Of 12 Sample Slums Selectcd in Banalore
city
Or thc total 764 persons distributed in 120 households covering 12 sample slums,
53.2 percent are male and remaining 46.8 percent are females, with an average of 5.30
persons per household. Arasu huts, Maharaja mills and Smcpcn colony slums arc
having an average of more than seven persons per household.
A majority of 42.5 percent of the slums are dominated by Tamilians followed
Kannada speaking people 37.5 percent, Urdu speaking 11.7 and Telugu speaking 8.3.
Perccnt. This shows that more than 50 percent of the slum dwellers migrated from
neiyhbouring states like Tamil Nadu and Andrapradcsh. Some of them had migrated two
generations ago and now they consider Bangalore as their home. Their grand parents had
come to Bangalore in search of jobs and gradually the entire family shifted to the slums,
In samc families males migrated for en~ployment and thcir families joined them after
thrir marriugc.
Tl~c majority religious group is undoubtedly Hindu 72.2 percent followed by
Muslims 17.5 percent and Christians 10 percent.
A large proportion 58.62 percent of slum population belongs to SC and ST, apart
from the above caste groups remaining 41.38 percent of the population belong to various
castes including Muslinis there are Lingyaths and Gowdas.
Occupation
Most of the slum dwellers, locals and migrants are drawn into work in the
unoryaniscd scctors. A significant proportion of 38 pcrcent of slum's working population
work as coolic, 23 pcrccnt arc cngagcd as construction labourers, 21 perccnt rolc
agarbathis another 13 percent engaged in ptty shop keeping, 10 percent in workshop, 8
percent as tailors and remaining 7 percent as vegetable vendors (Table No. 8.4).
Table 8.4 : Occupation Structure
Source : Compiled from the field survey.
03
04
05
06
07
08
09
10 - I I
12
Description Of House
A nlajority of 88 percent of the slum dwellers living in their own houses and the
rcst arc staying in rented houses. Out of 120 huts 55 percent has brick walls and
remaining 45 percent have mud walls. While 50 percent of the huts have tiled roofs 39
pcrccnt hnvc roofs of asbestos or aluminium shccts. About I 1 pcrccnt of the hut roofs
werc nmdc of thatch and plastics. Around 65 perccnt of the slum dwellers have used
cement for flooring, while 35 percent used stone and lime mix for the floors.
lndira Colon).
Anurdrpuram
Anjanappa Garden
Arasu I lua
Ashoka Talkies
Nakalu Bandhri
Maharaja Mills
Agnham D~sarahalli
Rajandhn nagar
Sweepers Colony
Total
Percentage
3
4
6
3
4
4
2
6
2
38
31.6
I
2
I
2
2
5
3
2
3
23
19.2
1
I
I
I
1
I
07
5.8
6
2
2
1
I
I
2
2 l
17.5
I
3
I
1
I
I
I
I
13
10.8
1
1
I
I
I
1
08
6.6
I
I
2
I
I
I
1
10
83
Household Amenitk
Drinking water for households is mainly from two sources: - ( I ) Municipal
Co~rrniunity taps and (2) tlmd pumps. No housc has installed a watcr tap on its premises.
While 55 percent filled water from the municipal community taps, the rest of thc
dwcllers use both municipal communilj taps and hand pump to draw water for domestic
putposes.
Socio Economic Status :
I ncomc
It is evident from the study that about 12 percent of the households have an
annual income of less than Rs. 5000 and 44 percent between Rs. 5001 to Rs. 10,000. 35
pcrccni between Rs. 10,001 to Rs 15,000 and only 9.2 percent enjoys more than Rs. 15,000. The low standard of living is bccausc of low income and most of the slum
dwcllcrs arc daily wagc clvning labourcrs ('lhblc 8.5).
Table No. 8.5 : Annual Income
Source : Compiled from the field work.
223
Sl.no
0 1
02
03
04
,05 06
07
08
0
10
I I
12
Namc of the slums
Vcnkataramana Huts
Muniyappa Garden
lndira Colony
Anandapunm
Anjanappa Garden
Arasu Huts
Ashoka Talkies
Nnkalu Bandhai
M l~a ra ja Mills
Agnhara Dasarahalli
Rajandhra napr
Swcr?penColony
Tom1
Pcrccnlagc
Btlou 5000
04
03
04
0 1
0 1
01
I4
11.1
15000 rbovt ,
01
01
01
03
02 ,
01 . 02
I 1
9.2
5001-10000
01
05
04
03
06
07
08
02
02
05
07
03
53
44.1
1001-15000
04
02
01
05
04
03
0 1
04
06
05
02
05
42
35.0
Toilet Facilities la Slums
No slum has proper toilct facilities and no housc owns a private toilet. Thcre are
very few public toilet found in these areas and thcy ranp from 8 to 16 in each slum.
There are 132 public toilet provided for both males and females with an average of om
toilct for 203 persons. which is highly inadequate. Hence people tend to use sewage
lincs, opcn spaces and railway h c k s for defecation. Most of the slums use open spaces
as public toilct. Anjanappa garden, Arasu hut, Ashoka talkies and Maharaja mills slums
u x both open spaces and areas close to railway lines for defecation and lndira colony,
Agrahara dasarahalli use sewage lines for defecation. Almost all the slwns children use
drainage and streets for defecation.
ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS OF SLUMS :
Composition of Garbage in Slums
Garbage from slums contain vegetable wastes, cooking wastes, paper, plastic,
glass. rubber, metals. street waste, construction wastes and animal wastes. All the twelve
slums surveyed have a luge amount of compostable matters like vegetable wastes,
cooking wastes, papers, leaves, litters etc.. and non-compostable substances like plastic.
The lndira colony, Anandapurarn, Anjanappa garden. Nakalu bandai, Maharaja mills and
Agrahara dasarahalli Slums generate a large amount of animal wastes, mainly due to the
rearing of cattles and pigs. The Venkatarmana huts, Muniyappa garden, Anandapuram
and Swecper's colony slums have a large amount of construction wastes. It is mainly due
to demolition of old structures and reconstruction of new buildings in these areas, Only
few slums have broken glasses, rubbers and metal wastes.
Disposal and collection of Garbagc in Slums
No slum has a proper garbage disposal system, very few corporation dwtbins are
found in most areas. They range an average from 8 to 12 dustbins in each slum, which is
highly inadequate. Hence people tend to throw their wastes in to sewage pits and streets.
Almost all the slums have the problcms of accumulated garbage thrown on the streets.
The slums like lndira colony, Ashok talkies and Agmhara dasarahalli have a poor
garbage collection system hence pcoplc throw their waste into sewage md open drains , which causes water pollution and coagulation in pipes.
Garbage in slums is not regularly collected as in other a m s of the city. Some
times it is collected once or twice a month by cotporntion lomu. Sometimes rag pickers
also play a major role in collecting the non-eompostable wastes like plastic, broken
glasses. rubber, metals etc. In this process thty scatter garbage around the bins and
unknowingly subject themselves to several health hazards.
Environmental Impacts :
Congestion: Slums generally spring up in sites that are limited in size and
undesirable from the habitat point of view - railway tracks, lank beds, quany pits, near
markets, industries etc., and hence they are over crowded tending to subject itself to other
I'onns ol' pollution. Almost all thc twclvc slunls llovc thc scvcrc problcm of conpstion.
A fanlily consists of more than 5 members and hence it is highly impossible for them to
live in a small area that has hardly one or two rooms. As a result they spend most of their
time outsidc the premises even during night times. For bathing purpose men use the
spacc at the public taps or outside their dwellings and women at the corner of the
dwvclliny. In most of the slums a ditch is made in the corner of tlrc dwelling and the wastc
water collected which leads to severe health hazards (Table No. 8.6).
Air Pollution : Air pollution is severe in Anandapurarn, Anjanappa garden,
Aslloka talkies, Rajendra nagar and Swveepers colony. This is because these slums gre
located along the roadsides. But on the wllole other slums are moderately subject to air
pollution. A majority of households usc traditional fuels such as firewood, cattlc dungs
ctc., Tor cooking which gcncrate air pollutants likc particulate matter, sulfur dioxide,
oxide of nitrogen, carbon monoxide, hydro carbon etc, The use of traditional fuels emit
an unplcasant smell all these cause watcring of eyes, headaches, respiratory disorders and
skin irritations.
Wntcr Pollulion: Watcr is a dominant problcm in all thc slums. In most slums
scwagc and water pipes rue laid ncxt to each other and when leakage occurs the drinking
wakr is o k n wntasnirratd. Slums which arc fou~rd in low lying mas Imvc u problam of sugnrrtion or drains ;mcl nin watcr a d bcxomc a b d i n g ground for mosquitoca
\vlriclr curry vcvturs uf ~rruluritl ulrd lilitriu. Ilr ultrrost ull (IN YIUIIIY EXCCPL TCW wuter
pollution is moderate to indifferent. It is very severe in Anandapuram and Ashoka
Talkies slums because sewage lines pass directly into these slums and cause water
pollution.
Noise Pollution: Ranging from local activities and mc, noise pollution is
severe in Anandapuram. Anjanappa garden and Sweepers colony. Noise pollution due to
railways is cxtrcmcly sevcrc in Arasu huts slum which located on the Bangalore - Mysorc
route, Ashoka talkies slum located on the Bangalore - Chcnnai route and Maharaja Mills
slum, located on the Bangalore - Twnkur route. The rest of the slums are moderate to
indifferent to noise pollu\ion.
Solid Wastc: Gcncrntion of solid wllslcs is a scvcrc to modcratc problcms in
alrnost all the slums. The slums like Muniyappa garden, lndira colony, Anandapuram,
Anjanappa garden, Ashok talkies and Nakalu bondai have the severe problem of solid
waste, which is mainly due to inadequate distribution of dustbins, improper disposal and
lack of civic sense among the slum dwellers. If composting is practised, manure can be
produced and thc environment could bc healthy. Composting can be resorted to as most
ol'thc waste in slums is in the form of vcgetablc matter,
Residential Hcalth: Slums arc the arcas of diseases and high rate of infant
mortality. The personal hygiene is too poor in almost all the slums, which is reflected in
clothing and living conditions of the slum dwvellcrs. Hencc slums are the sources for the
health hazards both acute and chronic diseases. The diseases, which are very common in
slums arc dyscntcry, intcstinnl disorders. cough, cold, fevcr ctc, Chronic discascs like
tuberculosis ('TB), nerve weakness, asthma, cancer, heart attack and blood pressure are
also reported in Anandapuram, Ashoka talkies, Maharaja mills and Agrahara Dasarahalli
slums among old people. Residential health is severe to moderate problem in almost all
the slums.
CRIMES IN BANGALORE ClTY
Bangalore, oncc a peace-loving city has over thc last two to thm decades has
become a city affected by crime. Due to rapid urbanisation, industrialisation and
immigration then has becn a major transformation in the ethos of the city. Murders,
dacoity, robbery, how breaking, thefts, rioting, kidnapping and property disputes have
increased several fold over the years. White collared crimes too, like bogus transaction,
dubious chit fund and illegal transaction in nel estate have increased, particularly since
the begining of this decade. Real estate business boomed in Bangalore in the late 1980's
and 1990's. due to liberalisation and industrial investment in Karnataka. The nexus
attached to real estate also moved from Bombay and Delhi to Bangalorc, there by
infiltrating the crime of murder, dacoity etc., to the city. Besides the slum units
themselves breed a greater amount of criminals and crime has almost become a part of
tlrc cllanging socicty .
At present Bangalore has become safe hide out of the criminals, when under
prcssurc from thc police in othcr citics. Criminals shin their base to Bangalore for some
time before returning to their areas of operation. A major change in the crime scene in
Bangalore in 1990's is the use of firearms, which was unheard of earlier. The common
rllntl is i~tcrcasingly feeling insecurc due to the gun culture.
incidence Of Crime In Bangalore :
Bangalorc faces an alarming rate of increase in the incidence of murder, decoity,
robbery, house breaking, theft rioting, kidnapping, cheating and IPC cascs. During the
past 1 I years. there is a total of 2.86.456 criminal cascs recorded in Bangalore alone. The
nualbcr of crimcs has incrcwd by 28.63 pcrccnl from 21 807 in 1987 to 30555 in 1997
with an average of 26041 cases per year (John. P.Ommen, 1998). Table No.8.7 & 8.8.
The number of cases of murder have increased steadily from 108 in 1987 to 241
in 1997. with an average of nearly 163 murders per year and three person per week in the
past 1 I years. This stcady rise is largely as a result of socio-economic inequalities among
the people, rise of consumerism and property disputes.
Table No. 8.8 : Yearly Variation of Crime Incidence of Bangalore
Soi~rcc : Compiled from the records of Crime table.
Dacoity has increased four times from 13 cases in 1987 to 54 cases in 1997 with
an average of nearly 35 cases per year and 1 dacoity in 10 days. This much fold increase
is as a result of dacoits who come down mainly from the north and from other states to
rob form houses and bungalows.
Robbery ranges from a theft of stnall items like, pick pocking, chain snatching to
robbing houses. Case of robbery has gone up nearly two and half times in the past 11
years. it was 246 in 1987 and it increased to 608 in 1997 with an average of 392 cases
pcr ycar and at least one robbcry casc per day.
Burglary (House breaking) both during day and night times has increased at an
nlaniiiny ratc from 1744 in 1987 to 2549 in 1997 with an increase of 3 1.58 percent in past
1 1 years. An average of one house is robbed during day time and 5 houses robbed during
night times in every twenty-four hours. House breaking ranges from those at apartments
scantily occupied to attacking farm houses.
'The cwcs of pctty then have increased steadily from 7128 in 1987 to 8028 in
1997. with an average of 7727 then cases per ycar and at least 21 thefts per day.
The cases of rioting have gone up from 194 in 1987 to 497 in 1997 with an
increase of two and half times in the last 11 ycars. The riots spring up over sensitive
issucs whcnever communal riots arise due to social or political factors. The yew 1994
recorded Ihe highest number of 1041 riots, that arose due to the telecast of Urdu News
bulletins on Bangalore Doordhrshan, which turned into a full scale communal riot in the
city. There is an average of nearly 40 riots every month in Bangalon during the past 11
years.
Iu order to obtain money for ransom or other political demands kidnapping the
cllildrcn is vcry common in citics like Banplow. Pmscntly children arc kidnapped and
they are made to beg in the public places like, bus stand, cinema hall, market etc., by the
criminals, The other type of kidnapping is atrocity on females and selling them to
brothels. Although there was a significant fluctuation in kindapping during the last 1 1
ycurs, tlrcw arc 1203 cascs of kidnapping rcgistcrcd in 13angalorc with an avcmge of 1 10
cascs per year and 3 kidnaps is every 10 days. In most of the cases kidnapping occurs in
broad day light.
Cheating seems to be a common factor of the population of Bangalore. The rate
of this crime increased from 790 in 1987 to 1196 in 1997 with an increase of 34 percent
during the last decade. Statistics have also shown that there has been a fluctuation. This
could be duc to the nature of the crime itself or may have also indicated a lack of total
reporting of the cases.
Statistics of the past I I ycars suggest that there are a maximum number of
1,42558 IPC cases reported in Bangalore, with an average of 12,960 cases per year and
an increase of 29 percent.
Apart from crimes, prostitution and drug abuse are also affecting the cultural
environment of the city and they may be called as social hazards. There is no accurate
data available regarding prostitution, but there are number of brothels run by private
owners in city. Due to poverty, lack of good family back round and a large number of
industrial labourcrs who have no family in 13angalorc, prostitution has increased
significantly. In almost all the major bus terminals i.e., BMTC, K.R.Market and
Shivajinagar, prostitution is practised openly. Then are other localities also in slums
arcas where prostitution incidence rate is high. Due to poor law and order, prostitution is
increasing day by day in Bangalore.
Uangaiorc has become a strategic ccntre for drug trafficking in the South India. It
has become a transit cum consumer point between Mumbai and Goa on the one side and
some areas of Tamil Nadu on the other (Rao, 1993). lllicit cultivation of ganja in the
run1 tracks surrounding Bangalore is also compounding the probkm. Heroin (Brown
Sugar) is smuggled into Bangalore from Mumbai, Goa, Tamil Nadu, Cannabis is brought
to Banyolorc l'mm Kcrcla and Tmiil NaJu whcrc it is grown extcnsivcly. Drugs from
I lydribd rcick thc city by bus or train und from Mumbai by train, trucks or buscs, It is
in turn supplied to rerailen, Dhabhas on the outskins of the city and then distributed to
the local dealers (Rao, 1993). Drugs are sold in Dhabhas, Panshops, Petty Shops at
Railway Station, Bus Stands, Cinemas, Educational Instirutions ctc.
Use of drugs in huge quantides and consequenrly indulging in violence and crime
is on thc incrcase in Bangalore. Drugs are used variously, as an escape from poverty,
hardships, boredom and as a part of socio-relegious actividcs. Students h ~ n affluent
hackgrounds wcrc the nuin uscrs. In slums. drug uscrs wcrc youngsters, uncmploycd
and u~iskilled labourers. 'he use of drug has increased considerably in Bangalore as
birscd on seizurcs of drugs as it is cvidcnt from the 'Table No.8.8
Conclusion
A Study of a section of poor and low income housing, which tends to produce an
overall degraded cnvironment due to its social structure and way of life. This indicates a
Ibrn~ of pollution which broadly covcrs all environmental aspects of degradation namely,
poor water quality, unwanted noise from areas close to railway lines and people
tliemselvcs, ppor air quality and unorganised solid wastes and sewage lines leads to
pollution of sorts. A study is made in this direction as not only the physical and cultural
environmental is affected but social environmental impacts of congestion, poor amenities
and life style related small scale activities tend to create major aspects of social pollution
such as crimes. violence, drug trafficking, prostitution etc. In this chapter all these
aspects arc studied for 12 slums covering 12 ranges of the city. The environmental
perception study rcvealed moderate to severe impacts of pollution in most of thc slums.
'I'IKw rlu~~is havc hcncc bccomc cycs~rcs in un alwocly piclurcsquc gPntcn city. I t wus
c=nliaI to add this dimension of pollu~ion as indusuialisation and demographic growth
had greatly altered the environment of Bangalore City. The limitation here was the
constraint of selecting a larger sample but time and human resources limited the study to
12 slums. Ncvorthtltss this wimple has h w n some light on the degradation of
environment as a mult of poor and low-income housing.
Reference
RAMACHAN.H (1985). "Slumming of a mcttopolis", Essay in Bangalore", Vol. - 11, Karnataka State Council for Science and Technology, Bangalore, PP. 37-56.
SING1 l [IAUII' (1992) "Struclurc and corrclotcs in hgalorc" - A Case study of
Rangalore Slum, Unpublished paper presented at the slum cluster work shop IDPAD
Banyolore on July 16, pp.1 -1 1.
MACHADO T. (1994). " Cultural and Dmg abuse in Asian Settings", (CEC) pp. 140,
JOHN P. OOMMEN (1998) "At gunpoint", Deccan Herald (Spectrum), December 18, PP
17 & 20.
.An .,\real \'ir.w of' it Nakalu Ihndhui S lum Sprung on Qu;rrr-y I.;tnd 1)epictinp C'ongestion ;at .I;l?.an;rpar I\'th I%lor.k
Ikpict ion of I'oor Civic Amenities and <:ongestion in S\veepers Colony Slum