JAGRUTI KENDRA ASSESSING THE ECO-HEALTH OF A SETTLEMENT IN BOMBAY
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JAGRUTI KENDRA ASSESSING THE ECO-HEALTH OF A SETTLEMENT
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JERIMERI BOMBAY
JAGRUTI KENDRA
JERIMERI BOMBAY
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JAGRUTI KENDRA
CAM STUDY « 1
ASSESSING THE ECO-HEALTH OF A SETTLED I M VF
IN BOMBAY
Jagruti Kendra
Preface
All over the world there is a growing concern about the effects of development. The environment is badly affected
with the growth of industries, the depletion of forests and the unconcern of people who do not care for the
earth.
The slum-dwellers in big cities suffer furthemnore since their struggle for daily life does not permit them to give
priority to their environment. Thus garbage, open drainage, inadequate facilities of water, toilets; etc. harm the
individuals and the community who live in the slums.
jagruti Kendra, a voluntary organisation situated in the eastern slums of Bombay has been conscientising the
people of the area, mobilising them and gearing them for action towards a cleaner environment. During the
past four years various programmes have been initiated to safeguard the interests of the slum-dwellers.
We are grateful to South-South Solidarity for funding this research project which has highlighted certain aspects
of the impact of pollution on urban slums.
Our experiences and the results of the research will help us to take one more step to save our planet and its
inhabitants from being destroyed.
I wish to thank the research team especially Ms Pamela Fernandes and the staff of Jagruti Kendra for their efforts
in this research.
Allwyn D' Silva
Jagriti Kendra
This publication is the first of a number of case studies that was taken up on ecohealth by Jagriti Kendra
in collaboration with South-South Solidarity as a way of exploring some of the urban slum problems. We
have numerous other case studies looking at various other urban, industrial and rural settings in our con
tinuing effort to understand the health and environment linkages. It is anticipated that such understanding
will assist in improving the development interventions.
The ecohealth work that has been taken up by South-South over the last years in collaboration with numerous
individuals and agencies is designed to go a long way to inspiring action among grassroots organisations.
May 1993
Jill Carr-Harris
South-South Solidarity
i
I
f
KNOWLEDGEMENTS
WE WISH TO THANK THE FOLLOWING PERSONS/INSTITUTIONS.
*
The data collection team
*
The staff of Jagruti Kendra
Vibha Vasi and the Audio Visual Team
Augustine Kuttikat, The Artist
Ms. Juliet Lobo, the typist.
South-South Solidarity for sponsoring the study.
*
We would like to acknowledge Ravi Sharma and Lakshmi Venkatarayan of South-South Solidarity
who produced this report.
JAGRUTI KENDRA
ii
CONTENTS
i
ii
Major objectives of the study
Identifying the problem
Conclusion
1
2
3
4
Location
Socio-economic factors
Conclusion
5
7
10
Introduction
Background
in
Family (Collective) Data
Major Chronic illness suffered during 1989, 1990 and 1991
Action geared towards pollution
Suggestions to alleviating the problem
Plan of action
11
19
20
21
21
IV
Major Findings and Recommendations
Major Findings
Recommendations
Conclusion
23
24
28
30
V
References
30
iii
CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
According to Madhav Cadgil of the Centre for
Ecological Sciences,
Indian Institute of Science,
Bangalore, Indian cosmology estimates the diversity
of living organisms at 84 lakh yonis. Twenty years
ago biologists thought this estimate to be too high.
They had described 15 lakh species and the total was
believed to be less than 50 lakhs. But when they
began looking carefully at the humid tropical forests
they discovered species of trees different from one
valley to the next, and hundreds of different species
of insects in the canopy of a single tree. The total
number of species is now estimated to be as high as
five crores, and the population of each species is
known to harbour tens of thousands of distinctive
genes. The discovery of this staggering level of
diversity has come just as scientists have learned to
manipulate genes, to transplant them from one
species ’o another, opening up tremendous possibili
ties of new technologies. It would, of course, take a
decade or two before these technologies mature and
1. The Hindu Survey of the Environment, 1992.
begin to yield the large dividends expected of them.
In the meanwhile, the biotechnology industry clearly
has a stake in preserving the earth's natural diversity.
Human beings have always been fascinated by the
diversity of life.
Hunters-gatherers celebrated it
through the paintings in their caves. At the same time
people have often ruthlessly wiped out life in all its
diversity by using and abusing life over the ages.
Bio-diversity has of course mattered a lot to people
living close to the earth. They are the peasants who
must collect fuel from village woodlots to cook their
daily meals and herdsmen who must graze their cattle
and sheep on common lands. There are basket
weavers who must collect bamboo and cane from
a living and tribals who must
nearby forests to ea^n
<
• or partridge for meat. People thus
hunt a porcupine
dependent on the
l. natural resources of their own
localities for their personal well being have been
termed the ecosystem people.
MAJOR OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
(i)
Understanding the impact of pollution/degraded micro environment (such as those caused by smalf-scale industries, housing
layouts, lack of basic amenities, etc.) and its effect on the environment and people's health.
Oi)
Identifying possible health risks under such environment.
(iii)
Identifying groups/population who are rendered most vulnerable by such an environment.
(iv)
Building up awareness regarding problems of eco-health, which cannot be directly seen and as a result continue to grow.
(v)
Initiating awareness leading to action.
(vi) Training a group of volunteers to work as a vigilant squad.
Design for Study
Since most of the information sought are related to the subjective level there is no control over the observations made. This
is an exploratory study. The entire Jerimeri East, West and all the sections of various slums surrounding Jagruti Kendra will
form the universe for the study. A proportionate random sample will be taken of the whole universe.This study can serve
as a pilot study to plan out some action based on these findings.
Sampling Techniques
For this study it was decided to concentrate on areas which were very much affected, namely Jerimeri West (area surrounding
Hanumantha chawl), Krishna Nagar and Tilak Nagar. The families to be studied will be those who have lived in the area for
not less than a year.
Initially the sample size was set at 1,500 but only
1,000 families were studied.
The selected areas were considered as
representative of the universe.
Tools and Sources of Data Collection
Primary Sources
An interview schedule will be administered to the representative of the family who is not less than eighteen years of age.
An interview guide will be used to collect information from groups of women/youth from different communities.
Secondary Sources
Use of literature, reports, records and a Ph.D. thesis which is maintained on this topic.
Data Processing
All open-ended questions were manually processed. The close-ended questions were coded, transferred to the master sheets
and given for Electro Data Processing (EDP).
Univariate and Multivariate frequency tables were derived from the data.
Limitation and Scope of the Study
Most people do not give much importance to environmental issues as long as these do not directly touch their lives. For
people residing in slum colonies the question of survival is very crucial. They rarely stop to think of the environment and
its rate of degradation. So it is quite likely that the pollution aspect will not be perceived by them as an important problem.
The team of interviewers were raw hands without any prior experience in data collection, except for an orientation. Hence
the quality of the data collected will not be up to the standard of trained personnel.
The study is only limited to understanding the extent of the problem and does not have set parameters to measure the extent
of pollution or measure the extent of the effects of pollution. Hence the results of this study can be used as guidelines for
further development in this area.
Significance of the Study
This study aims at statistically re-establishing the fact and extent of environmental degradation and will lead to awareness of
the environment and the need to protect it from further degeneration with a concrete plan of action.
2
the migration into the city and its surrounding areas
continues unabated, suggesting that employment is
available, especially in the informal sector which
thrives alongside the formal and service sector.
These ecosystem people the world over have always
treasured the bio-diversity of their own localities and
evolved many traditions for its conservation and
prudent use. But these practices of ecosystem people
have been long under assault by the elite who want
to make a quick profit with these resources.
Although Bomba/s population continues to grow
through a combination of natural factors and
migration, the 1991 Census has revealed some
interesting insights about the city. The estimated
population of Greater Bombay has been placed at
9.91 million, more than one million less than the
projections made on the basis of past growth. This
means that there has been a gradual decline in the
population growth rate in 1981-91 as compared to
the previous decade.
The concept of growth at all costs, which governed
development policies around the world until the
eighties, is being replaced in the nineties with the idea
of sustainable development. This is the consequence
of growing evidence of the heavy price we have to
pay for unsustainable consumption patterns, particu
larly of the richer countries. In the name of growth,
fossil fuels have been burnt with abandon, chemicals
harmful to the atmosphere have proliferated, poisons
have been dumped on land and in rivers and oceans
and natural resources such as forests have been
ravaged and exploited to the point of near extinction.
As a result we are confronted with the phenomenon
of global warming, caused by accumulation of gases
such as carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, and the
depletion of the ozone layer.
Water Supply and Sanitation
According to Mr Sharad Kale, the Corporation spends
Rs 30 crores a year on power for pumping water into
the city.
According to Dr Kamala Chowdhury, former chair
person of the National Wastelands Development
Board, India's poverty is closely linked with its
increasing deforestation and land degradation. As
much as half of the 329 million hectares (m ha) is
considered degraded in one form or another.
Between the seventies and eighties the satellite
imagery shows tree losses at a staggering rate of 1.3
m ha a year.
About 67 per cent of the water is used for domestic
purposes and the rest for industries and commercial
activities. Though in theory the per capita water
supply to the city is 240 litres per day (Ipd) the pattern
of distribution is highly uneven. This accounts for
some fortunate areas receiving water round-the-clock
while most of the city gets running water only for few
hours a day. The majority of the slum-dwellers have
to collect their water from public taps at fixed times.
For those residing on the pavement, fire hydrants
serve as a regular water source.
*
IDENTIFYING THE PROBLEM
Health Care
Bombay, the second largest metropolitan city in
India, is the financial and business capital of the
country. However, its streets are not quite paved with
gold (Debi Coenka in The Hindu). Over half the
population lives in slums, in crowded semi-perma
nent structures without adequate access to running
water or sanitary facilities. Despite these conditions,
Inadequate water supply with poor sanitation has
taken its toll of the health of the population of
Bombay.
Typhoid, hepatitis and diarrhoea are
common, especially during the monsoon when the
water supply is likely to be contaminated. Another
major killer, accounting for 16.4 per cent of deaths
in the city, is the respiratory disease. Experts suggest
3
housing such as the Urban Land (Ceiling and
Regulation) and the Rent Control Acts.
that the poor ambient air quality and the high level
of pollutants in the air have contributed to the rise
in respiratory ailments.
Transport
There has been a dramatic increase in private
hospitals. Today municipal hospitals account for only
9 per cent of the city's total number of hospitals.
As shortages of medical facilities is apparent, the
neonatal mortality is as high as 52.5 per cent in the
The public transport system in Bombay is oversaturated.
Trains designed to carry 800 passengers each usually
carry more than four times that number during the
rush hours.
slums.
In ten years, the total number of motor vehicles has
doubled. The vehicle population in the city now is
Housing
estimated at 6.28 lakhs. While the average car
occupancy in Bombay has been estimated at 1.8
persons, the average BEST bus carries upto 100
The sight of people living in dilapidated slums, and
even on the pavements, is an eloquent statement on
the acute housing problem in Bombay. More than
half the population in Bombay lives in slums. An
average of various estimates of the annual housing
stock needs of Bombay is placed at 114,000 units
for a population of 9.85 million (figure projected in
1984 for 2001 has already been exceeded). The stock
passengers in the peak hours.
CONCLUSION
In this chapter attempts are made to identify areas
of action. The framework for the whole study has
been outlined. In the next chapter we will examine
the theoretical background of the study in greater
generated each year by public, private and coopera
tive agencies is a mere 17,000 units. There are a
number of reasons for the shortfall in housing
including laws which discourage investment in
detail.
Ore
It
4
CHAPTER 2
BACKGROUND
of forest/agriculture and used to build houses for the
LOCATION
workers.
Kajupada, one of the oldest developed
In Greater Bombay, the concentration of hazardous
localities, was a forest of cashew nut trees. Fomnerly,
chemical units was found to be greatest in the eastern
the chawls were better planned with adequate water
(central) subuibs, mainly in Municipal Wards L, M,
and sanitation. Most of the chawls are illegal. A vast
N, S and T. lerimeri (the area chosen for this study)
is located in the L Ward. Out of the 32 identified
area in Jerimeri is covered with stables (tabelas/
polluting industries, 16 are in the Bhandup-Mulund
the area.2
buffalo sheds) contrary to the development plans of
area, nine in the Kurla-Ghatkopar-Vikhroli area and
Being part of the vast sea of unauthorised dwellers
seven in Chembur (Times of India, Feb. 1989).
in the city, having occupied land belonging to the
The residents of Jerimeri situated on the Andheri-Kurla
authorities, and uncovered by protective legislation,
Link Road in the L Ward are victims of environmental
the boundaries are open and most vulnerable to
pollution (air, water and noise). The ma or pollutants
external threats of eviction and harassment.
are the surrounding (authorised/unauthorised: small
situation is aggravated in the present context of a
scale and a few large industries, quarrying practices
Bombay High Court decision to evict dwellers from
in rhe immediate neighbourhood, poorly maintained
land needed for development purposes as well as the
water and sewerage systems, open drains, inadequate
toiler and sanitation facilities, poor quality and
eviction of tenants on Central Government premises
insufficient quantity of water and an open nullah a
source for untreated industrial effluents called Mithi
Feb. 1991).
river which borders several chawls over a long stretch.
There are about 200 laws in India which directly or
This is aggravated by the noise and air pollution from
the airport as well as heavy vehicles that use the
Andheri-Kurla Road and along which the chawls are
indirectly relate to environmental protection.
This
under the Public Premises Act (The Independent, 7
The
earliest, the Shore Nuisance (Bombay & Colaba) Act
goes back to 1853 and the latest is the Environment
Protection Act of 1986. Despite a multitude of
situated.
legislation, constitutional directives and duties and
The community has its physical boundaries and
the setting up of Pollution Control Boards all over the
covers five to six lakh population residing along the
country, the
Andheri-Kurla Road within the boundaries of Sakinaka,
degradation has been negligible.
Kurla, Ghatkopar and Sahar airport. About 30 years
ago, the area comprised of forests and agricultural
lands owned by the Wadias and a few Catholic
on Issues of Pollution, 1991", V.V. Nadkarni (Chembur, Bombay:
success
in curbing environmental
2. Source : Adapted from the field work practicum "Inrervention
TISS), pp. 9 and 17.
families. As industries came in, the land was cleared
5
ENVIRONMENT PROTECTION ACT
The Environment Protection Act of 1986 defines environmental pollution as:
*
The presence in the environment of any solid, liquid or gaseous substance in such concentration so as to be
injurious to the environment
*
Environment includes water, air and land and the interrelationships which exist among and between water,
air, land and human beings and other living creatures, plants, micro-organisms and property.
Water pollution is defined as:
*
Culmination of water or alteration of the physical, chemical or biological properties of water.
♦
Discharge of any sewage or trade effluent or any other liquid, gaseous or solid substance into the water.
This discharge may be direct or indirect and likely to cause nuisance or render such water harmful or injurious to
public health or safety or to domestic, commercial, industrial, agricultural or other uses; or to the life and health
of animals or plants or aquatic organisms.
Air pollution is defined as:
'The pressure in the atmosphere of any solid, liquid or gaseous substance in such concentration so as to be injurious
to human beings or other living creatures or plants or property or environment.
Noise pollution is defined as:
Unacceptable level of sound causing irreparable damage to the human system. Sound is a form of energy and it
is measured in units called decibels (dB). The decibel scale is logarithmic; so a noise level of 90 dB would be ten
times as loud as 80 dB. For example, a whisper equals 20 dB, normal speech ranges between 30-50 dB, street noises
40 dB, car engines 90 dB and a reviving jet shoots upto 150 dB. Anything above 90 dB is a health hazard. The
WHO has prescribed noise limits at 55 dB during the day and 45 dB at night.
POLLUTION TRENDS IN BOMBAY IN A NUTSHELL
Noise Pollution
Despite the laws and law enforcers loudspeakers cause more noise than aircraft in Bombay.
In most parts of the
city noise levels range from 57 to 91 decibels when the World Health Organisation limit is 55 decibels.
Air Pollution
A study was undertaken over the last 15 years to evaluate the effect of pollution on Bombay citizens.
In the city,
the pollutants let out into air daily are about 2,971 tonnes of which 52 per cent come from automobiles, two per
cent from the use of domestic fuels and the rest from industries.
Water Pollution
Most of Bombay's domestic sewage continues to be discharged into the Arabian Sea without being treated. An estimated
1,800 million litres of effluents (both domestic and industrial) are discharged into the Arabian Sea and the Thane
Creek. Furthermore, with the Pollution Control Board failing to monitor industrial effluents, these too are discharged
into the sea either untreated or just partially treated. It is not surprising, therefore, that the sea, off Bombay, has
become completely unfit for any recreational use.
6
electricity, toilets and drainage. In Jerimeri West most
of the houses were kutcha. But now over the years
families who have settled over a longer period have
used their meagre earnings to build brick walls
replacing tin sheets and cementing the mud flooring.
Narrow open drains built alongside the houses are
the only signs of drainage collecting the waste water
from the houses and moving towards gutters provided
by the BMC. At times when no gutters are in the
vicinity the water accumulates/ overflows on the land,
stagnates and breeds mosquitoes. Sometimes these
sewer and water pipes get deeply buried under the
debris of construction. In the monsoon the nullahs
overflow and due to water-logging in many places
SOCIO-ECONOMIC FACTORS
Most of the population residing in the area comprise
of migrants from Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Kerala
and Karnataka. They are mainly mill-workers. On
the technical side, there are welders, turners, fitters,
grinders, electricians and mechanics. A few of them
are traders/ businessmen. Several of them are also
engaged in services like auto-rickshaw/taxi drivers,
peons, clerks or hotel workers. There are also a few
pockets where rag pickers reside leading a hand-to
mouth existence. The average income earned by he
male bread-winner ranges from Rs 1,500 to Rs 2,0 '0.
The families in business may earn as much as Rs
5,000 while rag pickers or naka workers (unemployed
persons who wait at street corners seeking daily wage
work) may earn even as low as Rs 500 per month.
water enters the homes through drains.
Garbage Disposal
The women work in mills, factories or as domestic
workers and rag pickers on wages lower than men.
The majority of families are nuclear or extended,
comprising of an average of five to six members; the
number of children are as low as two or as high as
Every miniscule of space is being exploited so
throughly that there remains no space for disposal of
garbage. In some places the BMC has provided a
temporary shed near the toilets or bins on open
grounds. If the garbage is not removed regularly (as
is the case most of the time) it becomes a pollution
hazard for the residents, giving off a foul smell,
breeding mosquitoes, blocking the path to the toilet
especially during monsoons and forcing children or
nine.
Education
A large percentage of the people have not had any
formal education. Some of them were repeated
failures and forced to leave school, while some were
just dropouts.
The reasons vary from financial
constraints to the negative social influence of the
environment as well as lack of upward mobility
even adults to use open spaces.
Toilets
hoc. In most cases, the residents have bought rooms
in chawls without the necessary amenities of water,
While there is a tremendous incease in the
population, ratio of toilets to persons has not changed.
In chawls on private land, the ratio is usually one
toilet for ten persons; however on airport, BMC or
housing board property, the ratio may be one toilet
for 100 people or more.4 In places where the chawl
committee exists or when the landlord is reasonably
concerned, the toilets are maintained on a regular
basis. In other places the toilets are in a ramshackle
state; water, electricity are not available and some
3. Ibid, pp. 18.
4. Ibid, pp. 18,19.
despite education.3
Land Ownership and Basic Amenities
Since the area has developed in an ad hoc manner,
with the land ownership pattern varying from place
to place, the provision of basic amenities is also ad
7
do not even possess doors; for women in particular
the use of toilets is most stressful. It is also a most
common sight for children to be seen sitting near
garbage dumps or alongside the road path for
purposes of defecation. Gastrointestinal problems are
thus perennial.
Eviction Targets
Since the Bombay High Court orders of 7th March
and 7th April 1990, the community faces a perennial
dilemma.5 On one hand the court order has removed
the grant of stay on evictions for development
purposes and does not favour residents who have built
dwellings in slums after 1st January 1985. At the same
time there exists a sense of lethargy among the
people, developed over many years of empty threats.
Ch aw I Culture
The community is divided into groups formed on the
basis of the local chawls committees. Thus a group
of families residing close to each other/ having a
common owner with a formal or informal
leader consider themselves as a local
body. Some chawls are small in size
while others are fairly large. Some chawls
have closed boundaries while others are
open to interaction and relate easily with
organisations working in the area. The
pattern of leadership greatly influences
the extent of permeability and vulnerabil
ity to internal and external inputs and
adaptations. Certain areas are kept on
guard by leaders using physical force. In
several areas, the chawZ-owners them
selves keep external interventions at bay.
They use threats of eviction and legal
action on their own tenants who are
interested in improving their living con
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ditions. Chawl committees, comprising
the male head of the family, are at times
the cause of impermeability into the
groups. The males prefer to work on their
own for the welfare of the chawl. They
do not like to be questioned, or their
position threatened especially by the
JI
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women. The women are thus relegated
to the back seat making them feel inferior,
incompetent and incapable of acting on
issues.
^2!
5. Ibid, pp. 18, 19.
8
Hence the organisations working for slum upliftment
have to use direct influence to energise and motivate
the people to take some action on the issue. The
elite of the city expect the slum-dwellers to lead
normal lives and blame them for their personal
behaviours when they are forced to live in an
environment of deprivation with lack of basic
amenities like adequate water supply, electricity,
housing, sanitation, drainage and toilets, etc. This
environment is further aggravated by the pollution of
industries, vehicles (owned by the elite), accumula
tion of garbage and stagnant water. In such an
environment how is the slum-dweller expected to live
a normal happy life?
unavailable goods as rations are poor in quality and
quantity, pay doctors for their ill-health due to
environmental pollution, the municipal health serv
ices being perceived as inadequate or inaccessible.
Behavioural problems among children too are not
very uncommon and family stresses and breakdowns
are on the increase.
Obstacles to Convergence
There are several obstacles to convergence, their
origin being endogenous or exogenous. In a few
chawls in Jerimeri West (the land belongs to the
airport authority), political parties have established
committees on communal lines, for example bringing
together only Maharashtrian Hindus and keeping
away the other Hindus, the Muslims and the
Catholics. Afraid of the bullying tactics of the party
affiliates, the people are forced to remain within the
boundaries and keep away from the rest of the
families.
Prejudices and biases against Muslim
families are common; many of them live along the
borders in patra-walled (corrugated iron sheet) huts.
They are usually viewed as illiterate, dirty, indifferent
and incapable of improving their surroundings and
their life style. They are often ridiculed about their
large families and unhygienic habits.
These
prejudices divide the community on religious lines.
Coping Mechanisms
To deal with the stresses of such an existence, the
people are observed to be coping in various ways:
the men take to alcohol/ gambling; a few youth
experiment with drugs. There is strength derived from
belonging to political parties and identifying with or
depending on local dadas (mafia) in the area. There
are physical and mental health problems. The worst
affected are women and children who become targets
of assault and abuse by drunken husbands or sons.
Families get disintegrated especially when the men
seek extra-marital affairs, or when women are forced
to seek employment outside their homes leaving
infants in the care of older siblings. At times drunken
fathers sexually abuse their adolescent daughters.
Eve-teasing is also a common sight at street corners
which are frequented by unemployed youth.
Community's Regulation Processes
Like all migrants in the city, the people of Jerimeri
and Sakinaka have settled down to form a fairly stable
and dynamic social sub-system of the city. In other
words this means that it fulfills locally relevant
functions such as production-distribution-consump
tion, socialisation, social control, social participation
and mutual support. These are linked to the city at
large and hence these functions can be termed as
partial.
For instance, while the local private
practitioners cater to the basic health needs,
hospitalisation and other major health problems are
dealt with at the Holy Spirit Hospital or other public/
Formal or informal leadership emerges in the chawls
and in some instances such a leadership becomes
very exploitative. In most cases people end up paying
for services which are their basic rights. For instance,
paying the municipal sweepers for cleaning the
gutters and laterines, paying the plumbers who
generally install substandard water connections
which have to be cleaned every three months, pay
the shop-keepers in black for hoarded and seemingly
9
a private slum and the BMC gives facilities; the land
will be treated as BMC property and thus a deadlock
private hospitals in the city. The parish school St.
Jude which is a co-education school serves a 3,000
child population and apart from this there also exist
faces the residents. The alternative has been to stop
paying the rent and go to court. The geographical
location of the chawl is important for it affects their
life style. If the chawl is situated on the border of the
main road, or an inner lane or a major water pipeline,
the people are more likely to get affected by
disruptive stimuli from external sources, as for
instance, a broadening of the road, or traffic pollution
(air, noise) or garbage dumping, etc. The people have
then to depend on the local corporators, MLAs or the
voluntary organisations like Jagruti Kendra for help.
private and municipal schools. However, for junior
and senior colleges the students travel outside the
community.
Present Status
The area which is pockmarked by the 10 x 10 and
10x12 low-ceilinged houses, as mentioned earlier,
was agricultural and forest land in the sixties. In the
development plans of the BMRDA, it was supposed
to have served various purposes. Bits and pieces of
the land were gradually occupied by factories and
private builders with political influence, and slums
were built to house the rural migrants. In fact a
prominent Congress worker wielded sufficient influ
ence to change a portion of the development plan
CONCLUSION
so that he could develop certain community services,
like a temple which is today a place for weddings
and other functions. The reason for the stability of
pollution aspects in the locality. The socio-economic
In the initial part of this chapter various types of
pollution were defined. A sketch of pollution trends
in Bombay was presented in a nutshell followed by
background of the residents covered aspects such as
education, land ownership, basic amenities, chawl
the community for 30 years without a major eviction
threat to the residents may be considered political,
as there are vested interests in the continuance of
slum communities as vote banks and industries for
culture, eviction, coping mechanisms, obstacles to
convergence and community regulation processes.
Finally in the latter part, the present status of the
raising political funds.
community was presented.
On the one hand, there is lack of a clear policy on
slums built on land other than municipal land, i.e
unauthorised occupation of private and Central
Government land and that of other bodies such as
airport authorities and the railways. On the other
hand, political parties vie with each other to provide
protection against eviction, for obvious reasons. In
this situation of vagueness and ambivalence and a
divide-and-rule policy, sporadic attempts at evictions
of small clusters of houses are made. The builders
make hay while the sun shines by building chawls
The next chapter will present analysis of the data.
to house small-scale units. A chawl may constitute
a minimum of five rooms, with or without basic
amenities, to a maximum of 30 and more. Where
the owner has cooperated, the area has been declared
10
CHAPTER 3
FAMILY (COLLECTIVE) DATA
TABLE 3
TABLE 1
Height of Roof
Living Conditions
Valid
Areas
Per Cent
Per Cent
Low
160
16.0
High
117
11.7
16.0
11.7
72.3
100.0
Value Label
Valid
Frequency
Value Label
585
HANUMANTHA CHAWL
Per Cent
Per Cent
58.5
8.00
58.5
Medium
Total
723________ 72.3
_______ 1000_____ 100.0
Valid Cases
1000Missing Cases
TILAK NAGAR
KRISHNA NAGAR
80
268
SAKINAKA
67
6.7
66.5
93.3
6.7
WOO
100.0
100.0
_______________
Total ____
Valid Cases
Frequency
1,000
26.8
Missing Cases
72 per cent of the interviewed sample resided in
homes with medium height roof; 1 6 per cent had very
low roofs and only 12 per cent had high roofs.
0
Hanumantha chawl and other neighbouring chawls
located in lerimeri West represented the largest
sample size of 585 families from a total of 1,000
families that were chosen for the study. This was
followed by 268 families of Krishna Nagar, 80
families of Tilak Nagar, and 67 families of Sakinaka.
TABLE 4
I____ —-------Ventilation
Valid
Value Labe!
TABLE 2
Frequency
Type of House
Frequency
Per Cent
6.6
66
93.3
933
.1
_______ 1_________
100.0
1000_________
Total___________
0
Missing Cases
Valid Cases 1000
KUTCHA
PUCCA
6.6
'93.3
___ .1
100.0
Per Cent
NONE AT ALL
94
9.4
9.4
653
202
65.3
20.2
65.3
20.2
Four windows
31
18
3.1
1.8
3.1
1.8
Five windows
1
.1
.1
1
1000
.1
.1
100.0
100.0
Three windows
Valid
Per Cent
Per Cent
One window
Two windows
Value Label
0
Total
Valid Cases
999
Missing Cases
1
As can be noted from the table, 14 of the sampled
families had no windows at all indicating improper,
inadequate ventilation which is an open invitation to
health problems. The maximum interviewed sample
amounting to 65.3 per cent had only one window,
Houses were categorised as two types: mainly kutcha
or pucca. The operational definition of a kutcha
house was a house with tin sheet walls and a mud
flooring. The pucca house was defined as a brick
structure with cemented flooring. A majority of the
houses were pucca. Only 6.6 per cent of the
so no cross-ventilation was possible, lust 1.8 per cent
of the entire sample had five windows. This picture
is very symbolic of the society at large where only
interviewed sample resided in kutcha houses.
11
a few people have the best facilities.
illiterate and unaware of the actual ownership of the
land.
| TABLE 5
| TABLE 7
i* ■
Ownership of House
Frequency
Per Cent
Per Cent
Sub-tenant
19
1.9
1.9
Tenant
Owner
Total______
425
556
42.5
55.6
42.5
55.6
1000
100.0
100.0
Valid Cases
1000
85
829
8.5
82.9
8.5
82.9
11
3
1.1
1.1
.3
.3
State government
Central Government
72
7.2
7.2
Total_____________
1000
100,0
100.0
Valid Cases
1000
Missing Cases
Per Cent
17.4
25.0
19.9
Less than 5 years
174
17.4
250
199
25.0
19.9
169
16.9
21-25 years
26-30 years
93
30
9.3
3.0
31-35 years
36-40 years
16
1.6
15
More than 41 years
20
1.5
2.0
966
34
3.4
1000
100.0
Missing Cases
34
16.9
14.8
4.8
2.6
2.4
3.2
Missing
100.0
The majority of the population, 2 per cent and 19.90
per cent together totalling about 44.9 per cent,
resided in the area for six to ten years and 11 to 15
years respectively. There was a considerable sum of
17.4 per cent who have recently come to settle down
in Jerimeri since the past five years.
Valid
Per Cent
Per Cent
6-10 years
11-15 years
16-20 years
Valid Cases
Ownership of Land
Per Cent
Frequency
Total______
TABLE 6
Don't know
■.
Valid
Being a slum populace most of the early settlers
naturally earned ownership rights. Hence a majority
of the population (55.6 per cent) fell into the owner
category. However, a sizeable population of 42.5 per
cent of the sample fell into the tenant category
followed by 1.9 per cent in the sub-tenant category.
Private individuals
BMC
■
Value Label
Missing Cases : 0
Frequency
■
Period of Residence in the Area
Valid
Value Label
Value Label
•
Another big chunk of the studied sample forming 16.9
per cent and 12.8 per cent have been residing in the
area from 16 to 20 years and 21 to 25 years
respectively. Hence it can be concluded that this slum
colony began growing since the last 25 years. A big
leap in the migrancy pattern is noted between the
period of 20-23 years where the migrancy has almost
tripled. Yet once again a decline in migrancy into
the area has been noted by almost 31 per cent of
the population six to ten years ago.
0
It is quite obvious from this table that a majority of
the people feel that the land is privately owned. This
is probably due to the fact that the house or plot was
purchased from an individual who was an early
settler/ occupant of the area. This gives people the
impression that the land is privately owned. However
a quick glance once again at the Table 1 showing
the different areas from where the sample was
selected shows 58.5 per cent residing in Hanumantha
chawl area/Jerimeri West which is basically Central
Government-owned land. Hence the information
obtained in this table is incorrect as the people are
12
&
Personal Background
_TABIEW_
TABLE 8
Was your first home located in Jerimeri?
Valid
Whether living in Bombay since birth?
Value Label
Frequency
Yes
No
Per Cent
388
610
1000
Per Cent
Per Cent
39.0
24.1
61.8
Yes
390
Per Cent
No
241
369
38.8
61.0
61.0
,2
100.0
Missing Cases
Frequency
Valid
38.8
________2
Total______________1000
Valid Cases
Value Label
Total______
38.2
Missing
36.9
100.0
1000
100.0
__ 2
Valid Cases
100.0
Out of a total of 631 respondents who had migrated
to Bombay 61 per cent came directly to settle in
Jerimeri whereas the remaining 39 per cent had
resided elsewhere before coming to live in Jerimeri.
0
Out of the 1,000 families studied it is plainly noted
that 61 per cent are migrants whereas the rest have
been residing in Bombay since their birth.
631
Missing Cases
369
TABLE 11
Do you like living in Jerimeri?
TABLE 9
Valid
Value Label
If no, since when migrated to Bombay?
Valid
Value Label
Frequency
Less than 5 years
6-10 years
11-15 yrs
16-20 yrs
21-25 yrs
26-30 yrs
31-35 yrs
36-40 yrs
More than 41 yrs.
Total_____
Valid Cases
627
Per Cent
Per Cent
75
130
126
122
93
30
16
15
20
373
7.5
13.0
12.6
12.2
9.3
3.0
1.6
1.5
2.0
37.3
19.5
14.8
4.8
2.6
2.4
3.2
Missing
1000
100.0
100.0
Frequency
Per Cent
Per Cent
Yes very much
89?
89.6
89.8
No, not at all
102
10.2
.2
______________ 2_
12.9
20.7
Total______
_____1000
20.1
Valid Cases
998
Missing Cases
10.2
100.0
Missing
100.0
Per Cent
Per Cent
2
TABLE 12
Do you like living in Jerimeri?
Valid
Value Label
Frequency
Not good
Very polluted
Forced to live
Close to workplace
No basic amenities
Toilet problem
Water problem
Overflowing gutters
No choice
No choice after marriage
Acco. insuffi. sizewise
Unable to say
Majority of Muslim
population
Noise pollution
Overpopulated
Indus.pollution
Water shortage
Gar. pollution, mafia
Health hazard
Missing Cases 373
A striking factor once again noted here is that the
migratory population, tripled betwen 25 to 30 years,
as also noted in the earlier Table 8. A steady increase
in the migration pattern was noted upto the last five
years where a stark decline of 43 per cent of the
period between six tol 0 years was noted. This could
be linked to the fact that the area is now getting
overpopulated and conjested and not very suitable
for living. This table showing migration pattern into
Bombay reflects a similar pattern of the earlier table
portraying migration into Jerimeri. So we presume
that this could be the reflection of the overall
migration trend in the city.
Total_________
Valid Cases 86
13
2
17
20
2
10
9
2
1
1
1
1
4
1
6
4
1
1
2
2
913
1000
.2
1.7
2.0
.2
1.0
.9
.2 ‘
.1
.1
.1
.1
.4
.1
.6
.4
.1
.1
.2
.1
91,3
100.0
Missing Cases 914
2.3
19.4
23.3
2.3
11.6
10.5
2.3
1.2
1.2
1.2
1.2
4.7
1.2
7.0
4.7
1.2
1.2
2.3
1.2
Missing
100.0
I
This table lists out the negative reasons for not liking
Of the 1,000 families studied 43 per cent got clean
to reside in this area. Some of the reasons are:
polluted atmosphere, lack of basic amenities,
flooding of homes in monsoon, gutters overflowing
into homes, small-sized tenements, concentration of
Muslim population, noise pollution, overpopulated,
industrial pollution, water shortage, garbage (solid
waste) pollution, mafia influence, health hazards and
financial constraints.
water at all times while 55 per cent got clean water
only occasionally. 14 families of the studied sample
never got clear water ever.
Although this table shows that only 57 per cent do
not get access to clean drinking water, the researcher
feels that this figure is very low. People generally
do not know the difference between potable and nonpotable water. If the water appears to be clean they
feel it is good/ safe to drink. During the summer
months when there is an acute water shortage, people
use water from wells for drinking which have not
been cleaned for years and which are otherwise only
used for washing purposes. This fact was observed
in several areas in the summer months when the data
collection was taking place.
Out of the 86 valid cases 22 per cent pointed out
that lack of basic amenities, specifically toilets, were
one of the biggest constraints of residing in the area.
This was followed by 7 per cent of the population
who felt that there was too much noise pollution due
to this place being located within the industrial zone.
TABLE 13
Water, Toilets & Health Related Issues
Muddy or bitter drinking water seemed a very
common feature in Jerimeri. In fact most of them are
now immune to the taste or clarity. Coloured water
was available to 38.3 per cent of the studied sample.
This phenomenon of the water being coloured can
be attributed to the fact that a lot of industries lie
cheek by jowl to the resident areas and hence waste
from industries in the form of untreated chemicals,
dyes, oil, etc. have percolated into the soil, seeping
into the rusted old waterpipe lines or aligning with
the water-table, polluting groundwater and thus all
available water sources. Besides industries, in one of
the areas studied, there are some buffalo stables
located close to the people's homes. These stables
have no separate waste disposal system and let the
waste out into the roadside gutters/nullahs which get
clogged and overflow, thus polluting the surround
ings.
Do you have a water tap in your house?
Valid
Value Label
Frequency
Per Cent
208
20.8
20.8
790
2
79.0
79.2
Missing
Yes
No
Total_____
.2
100.0
1000
998
Valid Cases
Per Cent
Missing
Cases
100.0
2
Only 20 per cent of the entie sampled population had
water taps within their homes. The remaining 79 per
cent collected water from private taps, membership
tap connections, wells or taps belonging to other
chawls and the slum board tap.
TABLE 14
Is your drinking water clean & clear?
Valid
Value Label
Frequency
Yes, always
Sometimes
No, never
433
550
14
3
1000
Valid Cases
997
Per Cent
I
Per
Cent
433
55.0
1.4
_______ 3_______
100.0
Missing Cases
434
55.2
1.4
Missing
100.0
1
3
14
TABLE 15
residential premises. The remaining 97 per cent had
to make do with common public toilets provided by
the BMC, privately-owned toilets by chawl owners,
or simply opt for open outdoor space. Of those who
made use of the common toilets/ public/ private, 61
per cent felt that cleanliness was being maintained
in some areas occasionally and in other areas on a
regular basis by hiring a sweeper to clean it or through
’
Have you or your family suffered from health
problems by consuming polluted drinking water? If
yes, what problems?
Valid
Frequency
Value Label
Per Cent
23
2.3
2.3
975
97.5
97.7
________ 2
______ J
100.0
Missing
Yes
No
Total
Valid Cases
Per Cent
1000
998I
Missing Cases
the efforts of the chawl committee.
Garbage Disposal System
100.0
2
TABLE 17
Only a negligible section of the population amount
ing to 2.3 per cent felt they suffered from health
problems due to polluted drinking water. Some of
the health problems they suffered from were listed
as cholera, typhoid, pneumonia, stomach ailments,
dysentery, diarrhoea, asthma, sore throat, jaundice,
colds, coughs and fevers.
Do you use a dustbin at home? How do you collect
and dispose garbage?
What is the garbage disposal system like in your area?
Valid
Value Label
Frequency
Per Cent
Per cent
Yes
No
892
89.2
89.8
101
10.1
10.2
Missing
100.0
100.0
7
TABLE 16
Total
Valid Cases 993
Do you know how or why water gets polluted?
Valid
Value Label
Frequency
Per Cent
Yes
101
10.1
10.2
No
889
88.9
89.8
_______ 10 __________ 1.0
1000 ________ 100.0
Missing
Total
Valid Cases
990
Missing Cases
1000
Missing Cases
7
89 per cent of the families studied habitually used
dustbins in their homes. While 17 per cent used the
nullah to dispose off their garbage, 28 per cent made
use of the public dustbins while 52 per cent dumped
their garbage on to the open space on the road and
1 per cent behind the house. Though people are being
gradually awakened to the idea of utilising dustbins
for accumulating their family garbage, the disposal
system at the community level is almost non-existent
in certain areas or terribly inadequate. At the local
Ward Office the response to this query is that the lanes
are too narrow to permit entry to garbage trucks and
hence this question remains unresolved.
Per Cent
100.0
10
Of the entire studied sample only 10 per cent of the
families were aware of the fact of how or why water
sources get polluted. A lot of awareness is required
to help people understand how they can personally
prevent water sources from getting polluted.
Closely linked to the water situation were other basic
amenities like drainage and toilets. While 87 per cent
of the population availed of primitive drainage
facilities, only 3 per cent of all the 1,000 families were
fortunate to have toilet facilities within their
This situation is clearly reflected in the responses
obtained from all the studied areas. At Hanumantha
chawl 85.5 per cent said that no dustbins were
provided in the area followed by 54 per cent in
15
Krishna Nagar and 73 per cent in Tilak Nagar and
Sakinaka area.
foundation, seepage of gutter water through cemented/ tiled flooring was not uncommon.
In a few pockets of the studied areas where dustbins
were being provided, the collection of garbage from
these bins still proved a problem. In these areas 10
per cent felt that the garbage was collected on a daily
basis, 16 per cent felt it was collected once a week,
34 per cent felt it was collected twice a week. Lastly,
28 per cent felt that the garbage was emptied only
Foul smell, water seepage through the flooring,
breeding of worms, germs, mosquito larvae were the
experience of the remaining 15 per cent of the
To determine the type of pollutants in the nullah or
gutter, the following multiple response question was
if complaints were made.
posed.
population.
Does your nu//ah/gutter contain any of the
This issue of garbage is a gigantic one and priority
to this problem should be taken up on a war footing.
Workable schemes can be planned making the
community participate and be more sensitive to the
issue. They should be guided to devise simple ways
of getting rid of this ever-growing problem.
following:
Coloured water dyes
: 11%
Oil waste
7.5%
Paints
■
8.2%
Foul smelling, pungent odoured chemicals: 25.5%
Garbage
•
48%
Metallic substances
6.4%
Immediate Pollutants
Another severe problem common to most slum
communities is the aspect of residing in close
proximity to open gutters or nullahs and its affect on
their health and living conditions.
From the above table one is likely to conclude that
the nullahs are not quite laden with pollutants. But
on the contrary the researcher feels that lack of
awareness regarding this subject was the basic
limitation here. While collecting data it was observed
that people had not given a thought to this area of
enquiry. It was when the question was simplified and
specifically asked whether the nullah contains this,
that or the other only then did some of them give
it a thought and responded as they thought fit. Some
respondents were too simple and naive to understand
this complex situation. The garbage however was
simple and too obvious to miss, hence highlighted
as the major pollutant. This was followed by the foul
smelling, pungent odoured chemicals identified by
the olfactory senses and the presence of coloured
dyes which were picked up by the visual senses.
Garbage dumped in nullahs/ gutters pose a big
problem. On the one hand with the garbage disposal
system being non-existent or inadequate, people use
the nullah as a dumping site as this space is
53 per cent of our studied sample of families resided
close to a nullah or gutter, and of these 49 per cent
were badly affected by the overflowing gutter or
nullah. This factor is a big health hazard as most
illnesses stem basically from unhygienic surround
ings.
85 per cent of those who lived closed to gutters or
nullahs were hopelessly affected when these gutters
overflowed and the filth entered their homes,
damaging their health and personal property as well.
Many families related tales of woe, when they were
forced to abandon their homes practically every
monsoon when the water level rose in clogged gutters
and nullahs and overflowed into their homes.
Since most homes are constructed without much
16
recognised in a measure. Next to this was the problem
of burning of eyes which is again, an exceptional
phenomenon and easily identified. Chronic coughs
considered as no man's land. Dumping serves as a
landfill as the nullah waters get submerged with
continuous heaps of garbage.
and sore throats were as high as 16 per cent; young
persons suffering from premature greying of hair went
upto 13 per cent. Another 10 per cent suffered from
dust allergies followed by 7.6 with respiratory illness.
The other occurrences which figured in small doses
were premature deafness, regular miscarriages, skin
However, during the monsoons the repercussions are
very bad. The water which resurfaces gets blocked
from free flow, causing severe flood conditions when
the water overflows. Low-lying homes get fully
submerged while some are submerged partly, still
diseases and chronic headaches.
forcing the occupants to vacate the premises and
move to safer places. Breeding grounds for mosqui
toes and disease carrying bacteria are readily
available. Hence 95 per cent of the studied
What could be the cause for the symptoms
experienced in the previous table? From the previous
table 75.4 per cent of the interviewed sample had
experienced one or more symptoms. Yet out of those
affected 72 per cent were unaware that these
symptoms were connected to the polluted environ
population is troubled by the mosquito menace
almost throughout the year. Alongside all this is the
ove powering presence of industries releasing smoke,
gas, chemicals, dyes, wastes of all types—sol id liquid
ment in which they reside.
and gaseous.
The remaining 28 per cent were able to state that
While 22 per cent of the families interviewed lived
in close proximity to the industries which were in and
around the studied areas, 41 per cent claimed that
these factories were in their immediate neighbour
hood. The following table shows the effect these
factories have on the physical well-being of the
the problems encountered stemmed from accumu
lated garbage, vehicular and industrial gaseous
pollution, coupled with unhygienic surroundings.
These persons were aware of this fact as they were
informed by the doctor or as it was very obvious.
Some people are educated and knowledgeable and
hence were able to make these deductions on their
residents. This is a multiple response query.
own.
Surrounding Pollutants
Individual (Personal) Data
Did you or your family members face any of the
problems listed below:
TABLE 18
Percentage
Persons out of 1000
Burning of eyes
Chronic cough/sore throat
Dust allergy
Respiratory illness
Premature grey hair
Premature hair loss
Premature deafness
Regular miscarriage
Chronic headaches
22
162
122
74
Total
99.7
Pollution Symptoms
16
10
7.6
13
23
1
1.1
6
Valid
Value Label
Below 10
11-20
21-30
31-40
41-50
51-60
61-70
71-80
Above 81
58
100
174
8
9
5
712
This table shows that 712 persons out of 1,000
sampled amounting to 71.2 per cent have reported
one or more of the symptoms that can be attributed
to a polluted environment. The one problem that
seems to stand out is premature hair loss. This is a
quantitative problem and its effects can be seen and
Valid Cases
Frequency
Per Cent
Per Cent
1017
1132
893
779
22?7
1
20.1
19.0
17.4
9.6
9.6
1.3
.2
.1
.0
22.7
20.1
19.0
17.4
9.6
9.6
1.3
.2
.1
Missing
4485
100.0
100.0
430
164
57
8
4
4484
Missing Cases
1
An overwhelming 48 per cent of the studied sample
17
covered the age groups between 0-20 years. Of these
47 per cent were below 10 years and the remaining
53 per cent in age groups between 11 and 20 years.
This reflects that most of the families are in the early
phase of growth. A total of only 5.3 per cent of the
interviewed sample constituted the age group
between 51 and 81 years, once again giving an
indication that old age dependency is very negligible.
background would also reflect on the kind of jobs
they will hold as only 10 per cent of the entire sample
have studied beyond secondary school (SSC).
Gender Profile
Value Label
Occupation
TABLE 20
_________________ Valid
Frequency Per Cent Per Cent
Below school-going age
Housewife
Permanently emp.
TABLE 19
Temporarily emp.
Valid
Value Label
Badli worker
Frequency
Per Cent
Per Cent
Male
2358
52.6
52.6
Self-employed
Female
2126
47.4
47.4
Studying
1
.0
Missing
4485
100.0
100.0
Total
Valid Cases
4484
Missing Cases
Contract worker
Unemployed
Retired
1
Valid Cases
The male dominate the female by a margin of 5 per
cent. So on the whole the study was well represented
by both the sexes.
4484
371
1020
535
607
12
13
230
1435
193
68
8.3
22.7
8.3
22.7
11.9
11.9
13.5
13.5
.3
.3
.3
5.1
5.1
32.0
32.0
4.3
4.3
___ £
1.5
9
1.5
Missing
4485
100.0
100.0
Missing Cases
1
.3
A major chunk of the studied population amounting
to 22 per cent were housewives. Only 11.9 per cent
of the sample were permanently employed. This
figure is quite low considering the fact that this area
is an industrial zone. However, this would also reflect
on the system that prevails especially in the smallscale sector that do not fall within the purview of
labour legislations. It is these units that form a major
chunk of the industries here. These units also easily
get away by flouting environmental regulations. An
interesting fact though not surprising considering the
industrial zone was that only 4.3 per cent of the
studied sample were found to be unemployed.
Approximately 68.8 per cent of the studied popula
tion were dependants comprising of the infants below
four years, student population, the unemployed,
housewives and the retired.
Education
Majority of the studied population representing 23.6
per cent fell within the middle schooling (Std. Vth
-Vllth) range. Another 27.5 per cent in secondary
schooling (Std. Vlllth - Xth) range, and 18 per cent
in the primary schooling (Std. 1st - IVth) range. Adults
who had never studied formed 11 per cent of the
studied population while 8 per cent were below
school-going age. A negligible count of 3.9 per cent
had completed graudation while only .2 per cent
made it to the postgraduate level.
Considering this information it is very likely that the
persons interviewed are reflecting the educational
status of the locality and hence have a poor
understanding of the topic of our study and its
relevance to their life and health. Their educational
A majority comprising of 53.3 per cent were of single
status and 45.6 per cent were married. Only 9 per
cent fell into the widowed category.
18
MAJOR CHRONIC ILLNESSES SUFFERED DUR
ING 198% 1990 AND 1991
Of the entire sampled population 75 per cent were
unable to respond to the query on cause of illness
strengthening the fact that mass public awareness
regarding environment should be essentially created.
A study of chronic health disorders for three
consecutive years was done to note the trend in
illnesses over a three-year period.
Only 7 per cent were able to attribute health
problems to the unclean environment and 3.9 per
cent said it was due to polluted air.
A summary of the three years show that chronic
cough, asthma, bronchitis top the list closely followed
by blood pressure and tuberculosis. During the data
collection it was noted that only diseases which
manifested themselves through noticeable symptoms,
were considered as health problems.
Subtle
experiences like burning of eyes, foul smells, chronic
headaches, chronic colds, repeated abortions/ mis
TABLE 22
Period of Illness
_ ________________________ Valid
Value Label
carriages, etc. were taken for granted. Only those
having knowledge of ecological impact on health
were able to pinpoint minute problems faced by them
day to day. For many persons the question of survival
is much more crucial rather than think of the
Frequency
Per Cent
14
.2
10.9
I- 6 months
14
.3
10.9
6 months - 1 year
17
.4
13.21
- 5 years
52
1.2
40.3
6-10 years
25
.6
19.4
II- 15 years
3
.1
2.3
16-20 years
3
.1
2.3
Not applicable
consequences of being employed in mills, cement
factories, quarries, or residing in polluted zones. So
if the effects of the polluted environment have not
been strongly highlighted thrbugh this study it is
mainly due to lack of awareness for which a great
deal of effort will have to be geared to create strong
public awareness through rallies, exhibitions, work
shops, use of mass media, etc.
Per Cent
Less than 1 month
Total
Valid Cases
129
1
.0
.8
4356
97.1
Missing
4485
100.0
100.0
Missing Cases
4356
40 per cent of the illness of patients ranged from 15 years and 13 per cent were ill for a period between
6 months upto one year.
TABLE 23
TABLE 21
Treatment Resource
Causes of Illness
Valid
Value Label
Valid
Value Label
Frequency
Do not know
Allergy
Smoking & drinking
Blood Pre/tension
Polluted air
Communicable disease
Garbage
Liquor consumption
Mill work conditions
Mosquitoes
Unclean environment
Accident
Total
Valid Cases
129
Per Cent
.0
97.1
75.2
1.6
.8
2.3
3.4
4.7
.8
1.6
.8
.8
7.0
.8
Missing
_______ 4485
100.0
100.0
Missing Cases
2.2
.1
.0
.1
.1
.1
.0
.1
.0
.0
.2
Percent
Percent
76
19
17
1.7
.4
.4
.0
58.9
14.7
PRIVATE DOCTOR
Per Cent
97
2
1
3
5
6
1
2
1
1
9
1
4356
Frequency
MUNICIPAL HOSPITAL
PRIVATE HOSPITAL
MUNICIPAL & PRIVATEHOSPITAL
NO TREATMENT
HERBAL MEDICINE
Om. Medi.Insurance
TOTAL
Valid Cases
129
2
12
13.2
1.6
9.3
1.6
4356
.0
,o
97.2
Missing
4485
100.0
100.0
2
1
Missing Cases
4356
58 per cent of those ill reported to a private doctor
for treatment while 14 per cent went to the municipal
4356
19
hospital. 9.3 per cent were too poor to take any
TABLE 24
treatment at all.
Causes of Pollution
Treatment Status
Frequency
Value Label
64 per cent of those ill were still continuing the
treatment course.
Valid
Per Cent
17.6
791
17.6
17.7
3670_______81.8
81.8______ 82.3
4461
100.0
100.0
Yes
No
treatment while 23 per cent had completed their
Per Cent
13 per cent discontinued the
treatment prior to recovering from their illness.
Valid Cases 4461
Response to the Pollution Problem
Although so many pollution hazards were encoun
Missing Cases 24
tered in the environment their sources were not
Have you/ your family personally experienced any
always known to the people. Only 17.7 per cent of
of the listed environmental hazards?
the studied population were able to identify these
pollutant sources.
The five most leading environmental hazards encoun
GEARED
tered in and around Jerimeri in order of magnitude
ACTION
were:
(Individual/Collective)
TOWARDS
POLLUTION
Lack of trees
70.8%
Did you or the community jointly take any action
Garbage dumps
49%
on the environmental issues? What action was taken?
Vehicular noise pollution
48.5%
Burning of scrap, tar, rubber, etc.
27%
Vehicular air pollution
23.7%
52 per cent of the families affected by the pollution
hazards had taken some action with regards to the
problems. From this it can be conlcuded that persons
having knowledge about environmental hazards and
its repercussions on their lives do feel the need and
The other less affecting problems experienced were:
urge to do something about it.
Industrial noise pollution
15.9%
Open drains
15.7%
about the problem 64 per cent had taken out protest
Quarries
15%
morchas and 26 per cent had organised themselves
Industrial gaseous waste
13.1%
collectively to hold meetings and discussions for a
Chemical dust
11.9%
Smog, mist
11.5%
Industrial solid waste
11%
26 per cent were successful as cleanliness prevailed.
Industrial liquid waste
10.4%
For the rest either they were not fully involved to
Chemical dust
10%
Of this group that had intervened to do something
plan of action. Some had complained to the relevant
authorities or got the place cleaned by organising
themselves. The result of all these efforts were that
know the results or they were not motivated enough
to follow up their efforts to the action phase.
Factors influencing the visual senses were reported
in higher magnitude as compared to those affecting
To those who had not respnded/reacted to the
the sense of hearing, smell or touch.
environment issue, a query was posed whether they
felt the need to do something.
20
Only 33 per cent felt the need for action or some
cause of intervention. The remaining 67 per cent were
either too complacent or not di rectiy/severely
affected by the problem.
the awareness programme which could be planned
as a snowball effect to bring about awareness among
friends/ neighbours in their immediate surroundings.
In response to the proposal to form areawise vigilant
committees 72 per cent welcomed the idea while 49
per cent felt ready to volunteer to be on this
committee. The rest of the sample studied were either
apprehensive about this proposal or did not have time
to make a commitment.
SUGGESTIONS TO ALLEVIATING THE PROBLEM
Some suggestions came forth from families interested
in alleviating the problem of pollution such as:
-
Working on the prblem of garbage disposal.
Organising people collectively to save the
environment.
Provision for an adequate drainage system.
-
Provision for adequate water supply.
-
Pressurising the BMC to action.
-
Mass awareness campaign regarding the
pollution problem.
-
A similar multivariate analysis was done to compare
the type and percentage of illness in each of the four
areas selected for the study for three consecutive
years.
It was not surprising to note that the areas surrounding
Hanumantha chawl, which has the highest incidence
of garbage pollution, these areas ranked highest with
40 to 46 per cent of various illnesses occurring in
each of the three years. This was closely followed by
Krishna Nagar with 42 to 44 per cent of illness, Tilak
Nagar with 6 to 8 per cent and Sakinaka with 4 to
7 per cent of illness.
Worst Victims of Pollution
While assessing the worst victims of pollution it was
stated by 81 per cent of the studied sample that all
individuals whether men, women or children were
equally affected. 167 differed, feeling that the
children were worst affected victims.
As for the various pollution problems encountered by
the people in their respective areas of residents, a
comparison was done to see the incidence of
occurence.
PLAN OF ACTION
Awareness regarding the organisation Jagruti Kendra
which was conducting this study was as high as 57.3
per cent. The rest of the population had no knowledge
or information regarding Jagruti Kendra.
The adjoining table reveals that Hanumantha chawl
ranked highest in 12 out of 13 pollution encounters,
followed by Krishna Nagar, Sakinaka and Tilak
Nagar.
Yet of the entire sample 64 per cent opted to support
a campaign organised by Jagruti Kendra protesting
against polluting agents.
An areawise comparison of the symptoms of a
polluted atmosphere were studied and the highest
incidence was observed in Jerimeri West, followed
by Krishna Nagar, Sakinaka and Tilak Nagar. Some
of the symptoms in order of magnitude are: burning
of eyes, skin ailments, respiratory, illness, premature
hair loss, miscarriages, premature greying and dust
allergy.
72 per cent of the sample felt a grave need for
awareness in this context to be spread. This shows
a positive inclination and motivation to find out ways
and means to diffuse the problem.
63 per cent were ready for personal involvement in
21
Very closely related to this was the question of
whether the respondents knew the causes of illness.
The assumption held that higher the level of
education greater would be the awareness regarding
the cause of illness proved to be true. Only those
respondents who had studied upto middle-school
level and above were able to guage the causes of
illness. None of the remaining respondents were able
to determine what could be the possible cause for
their illness. Their response was a plain and simple
In a bivariate analysis done to study the impact of
the individual's level of education with regard to their
health status the following observations were noted.
Respondents falling within the category. No school
ing amounting to 28.9 per cent suffered from various
types of illnesses. This grouping had the highest
incidence of varied health problems gradually
declining as it approached the secondary schooling
level. The percentage of illness dropped dramatically
to negligible proportions in the graduate and
"Do not know"
postgraduate grouping. This phenomenon was com
monly perceived over the three years.
22
CHAPTER 4
MAJOR FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
An enquiry of this nature would not be complete
without a summation of the significant findings
and researches, conclusions and suggestions of
these findings. In this chapter therefore the
research design was used for the study.
Research Design
bring down the sample size by 500 families.
This study was meant to be a pilot study and'the
design was descriptive and diagnostic.
We
attempted to understand the extent of industrial
and environmental pollution and its effect on the
health of the residents of Jerimeri by interviewing
families, groups (mahila and youth) and doctors.
We also monitored air, water pollution and noise
levels.
Another major limitation felt was the period during
which data collection was initiated. Since we
began in April and continued till October, in the
initial phase it was vacation time and many
families were out of station. Hence the need arose
to go into another area (Sakinaka) as the selected
areas were already covered up.
Most of the time the data was obtained from
women/ youth who were the only members
available at home apart from the children, when
the interviewers visited the homes. Several of the
women (especially those of U.P. community) were
inhibited to respond to our queries either because
they were never given a chance to express
opinions or were afraid of the consequences from
their husbands.
Sampling
A pretest was conducted with a total of 13 families
belonging to all the areas selected for the study.
There was a slight modification in the question
naire after the pretest.
Tools of Data Collection
Interview schedule was administered to the
families and an interview guide was used for the
mahila/ youth group interviews.
Very often the interviewers had to put up with
mixed reactions from the people especially in the
areas where Jagruti Kendra has not made contacts.
Most often the women had to be coaxed and
cajoled to respond to the interviewers. Since
women are not exposed much to life, outside the
family fringe, they did not seem to perceive
pollution as a threat. Many women did not
understand the concept of pollution and those
who did, had a very marginal understanding of
the concept. For them pollution was limited to
garbage and dirty surroundings.
Limitations of the Study
Although initially the sample size was set at
15,000 families, it was later felt that this sample
size was too vast and time consuming and would
postpone the time schedule of the study a great
deal. Hence after interviewing about 300 families
and calculating the time taken for the same, it was
decided in consultation with the sponsor (SSS) to
23
MAJOR FINDINGS
Living Conditions
Since only 6.6 per cent of the sampled
population reside in kutcha houses (made
of tin sheets and having a mud flooring)
it is obvious that people have tried to
improve their living conditions by making
their huts suitable for living.
These
renovations have been done over the
years with their meagre savings with a
hope that they will not be evicted.
Yet since 42.5 per cent are tenants, they
are not able to make many changes in
their homes unless the landlord is coop
erative.
Approximately 45 per cent of the inter
viewed population resided in the area for
a period between six tol 5 years. Another
30 per cent have resided for a period
betweeen 16 and 25 years. Hence one
can say that the early settlers began
occupying the place since the last 25
years.
I *--31
Personal Background
A whopping 61 percent of the population
interviewed were migrants from other
states of India.
areas have seen massive industrialisation and a
commensurate growth in housing.
Migration trends show a steady increase of population
in the initial years, i.e. 25 years ago. However in
the recent five years a stark decline of 43 per cent
was noted. A similar trend is reflected at the all
Bombay level. According to Dr K Srinivasan, Director
of the Indian Institute of Population Studies, Bombay,
the drop in the population growth rate in Greater
Bombay is compensated by a dramatic growth in the
urban agglomerations around Bombay such as Vashi
(New Bombay), Panvel, Nerul and Kalyan. These
For those who have resided in Jerimeri since one/two
decades these families still consider the place a good
one to live in. Their major difficulty which is yet
to be overcome is lack of basic amenities in
particularly toilets. Some families are greatly affected
by water-logging of the nullahs and the consequential
overflow of sewage water into their homes.
24
Water Toilets and Health Related Issues
Reflections
Of the interviewed sample 20 per cent had water taps
inside their homes. 80 per cent had to obtain water
from sources outside their homes like private tap
connections, municipal/ slum board taps, wells or
boring connections. Only 43 per cent obtained clean
drinking water at all times. Muddy or bitter water
is a common feature in Jerimeri. In fact many of the
residents are immune to the taste or clarity.
A vital contribution of the voluntary sector is to obtain
for women their rightful place in the conduct of
everyday affairs. If the centralised form of planning
has left the poorest of the poor out in the cold, the
women have borne the brunt of the struggle for
survival. Even as the poor have been enabled to assert
themselves, many NGOs at some stage have felt
concerned for women and have initiated, both
income generating and conscientisation programmes
for them exclusively. Some groups have gone a step
further and have been able to porivde for women in
their plan of action. This is because of the fact that
the women become the chief victims in almost all
of the issues and can be motivated for a long-term
Most people are unaware of the correlation between
water and related illnesses. Some are not even aware
of the fact that the water they consume regularly is
non-potable. If it appears clean they think it is fit for
consumption.
action plan.
Garbage
Our present life style is undergoing a drastic change.
Consumerism and influence of media and advertise
ments force us to adopt a life style that is totally alien
to our culture, for example, the type of clothes we
wear from the tie around the neck to the socks and
shoes on our feet. These items of clothing are
unsuitable for our climatic conditions as well as our
cultural environment. So even if our movements are
stifled, we do not worry as we think these clothings
bear a stamp of respect. In fact the more wealth an
Indian acquires, the more western the person stirves
to become by eating, drinking, talking and behaving
like a westerner. This is very much due to the media
which promotes consumerism. We buy a lot of things
that the advertisers promote and get trapped in this
system. For example advertisers promoting soaps
portray the disadvantage of using an ordinary soap
for washing one's hair. For centuries our forefathers
have been using one soap for body and hair and quite
suddenly this soap is shown as causing hair fall and
so is considered inappropriate for washing hair. The
same is the case for shampoos (for dry/normal hair)
or face creams (for oily/dry skins). Each time it is
the advertiser's creative streak that individualises
personal characteristics and capitalises on it. Hence
This aspect seems to touch the lives of all the residents
irrespective of their type of living conditions, the area
they live in or their educational background. The
problem is so vast and immense that it puts anyone
in a real dilemma. Apart from the fact that very
negligible sections of the community are provided
with the infrastructure (dustbins/ place for depositing
garbage) only in a very few places the bins were being
emptied on a regular basis. Since this is a man-made
problem, and it affects each and every home, a great
deal of effort will have to be geared towards this issue.
Beginning on a very small scale, a scheme will have
to be worked out with the local residents and the
municipal cleaners as has already been done in
certain areas. However, the ultimate responsibility
will have to be borne by local vigilant committees.
For this the social activists will have to be motivated
to sustain the interests, so that long-term follow-up
will be maintained.
25
Education
we will have to consciously adopt ways of living
which will enhance rather than upset the ecological
The education factor is a major indicator to point out
whether or not the problem of pollution which is
balance, and we will have to rethink our concepts
of development and progress. We can strive to
promote a person-centred development. By this we
mean that kind of development which ought to
being studied is the people's problem.
Since a large chunk of the population are illiterate
or have barely studied beyond primary/middle school
level, they are unable to correlate the problem of
pollution with their status of health. Only a very
negligible group of educated persons were able to
pin down health problems to the fact that the
possess three basic elements:
People should be entitled to physical
necessities such as food, drinking water
supply, shelter, education and health.
♦
They should possess and cherish human
relationships which bind humanity, thereby
environment was facing degradation.
preventing alienation.
♦
Occupation
They should be able to live in an ecologi
cally conducive atmosphere.
Most slums come up near upper-class colonies since
many of their inhabitants survive on the services they
render to the upper classes, as dhobis, vendors,
sweepers, domestic servants, etc. They would not be
able to render these services (and survive) if they were
to be shfited away from the colonies, since they
cannot affordthetransport costs and the time required
to travel. Moreover, slum women often like to work
close to their houses and go home every now and
Such a development goal, perceived in today's
context entails reordering of priorities, identifying
new agents of change and of re-aligning political
equations. Such a scheme would moderate most
production and service related activities, change the
means of achieving targets as well as the method of
distribution. The system would aim at reaching a
sustainable equilibrium rather than one which is
critically linked to accelerated growth or dependent
then to look after their children.
on centralised authority, and/ or a system that gives
rise to dualism. A development philosophy that strives
to raise moral values and focusses on person centred
close proximity to workplace, generally industries.
development, embodying aspects such as justice,
equity, peace and steers away from a monolithic drive
to achieve techno-economic heights, could appropri
ately be termed social development, as opposed to
narrow economic development, is an approach
The slum-dwellers have normally been looked upon
as a problem both by the urban planners and the
upper middle-class citizens, with a result that slum
clearance is resorted to as a solution to keeping the
In the case of Jerimeri, the slums spring up due to
city clean. The challenge, however, requires an
altogether new approach towards slums and slum
dwellers, starting with a radical change in attitudes.
which operationalises a holistic world-view,
in
tegrating different facets of society, sectors of an
economy, sections of the people, regions of a land,
sensitivities of a culture and constraints of technology/
Looking upon slums and pavement-dwellers as a
ecology. In other words social development, meeting
basic needs, extending opportunities, developing
different human faculties and providing a just social
order within an ecologically acceptable framework.
burden serves as a drag on any slum improvement
programme. But deeper thinking would make it clear
that they are more an asset than a liability.
26
Planners are also beginning to realise that squatters
are economically valuable citizens who add to the
gross national product by constructing their own
shelter, no matter how make-shift, which saves the
government a considerable amount of money; that
squatters are upwardly mobile citizens in search of
economic opportunity and have demonstrated high
levels of enterprise, tenacity and ability to suffer
acute hardships; that the informal sector in which
a majority of slum-dwellers are economically active
contributes significantly to the city's overall eco
nomic growth; and that they should be helped and
not hindered (CSE 1985:145).
It is the slum-dwellers who provide essential services
such as domestic service, rickshaw driving, hand-cart
pulling, vegetable and fruit vending, plumbing,
construction and other unskilled labour to the rich.
They are the ones who build infrastructures such as
dams, canals, factories, buildings, etc. which benefit
the rich; and yet it is this same powerful group which
considers the slum-dwellers as unwanted element of
society.
Secondly, slums need to be viewed as an issue
involving people and not merely places. They have
more to do with life than physical and environmental
conditions. The slum is not simply a housing problem
but a complex socio-economic, cultural and political
one (Shah 1983: 91-92).
Major Illnesses
Studying chronic health disorders over the years
1989, 1990, 1991 it was noted that respiratory
illnesses like chronic cough, asthma, bronchitis top
the list followed by blood pressure and tuberculosis.
In order to corroborate this information doctors
practising in the area were met to note the health
trends. According to Dr Soares of Holy Spirit Hospital
who visits the health centre (jerimeri West) twice a
week, since the last three years, the major health
problem faced is tuberculosis followed by gastroen
teritis, respiratory illness, skin diseases and malaria.
These illnesses in order of priority are directly related
to the pollution in the environment. Apart from these
there are also other illnesses of greater magnitude like
diseases occurring out of the problems of malnutri
tion.
(Dr lain who has his practice in Jerimeri East where
our selected study areas of Krishna Nagar and Tilak
Nagar lie has 13 years of practice to his credit. He
as well as other few doctors who are recent
practitioners opined that respiratory illnesses topped
the list for environment related diseases and that a
very high percentage of males were the victims. They
also felt that pollution coupled with low socio
economic conditions were responsible for poor health
conditions).
RECOMMENDATIONS
education or being literate is not the key issue.
From the above-mentioned findings regarding the
health situation the researcher would strongly
recommend the formation of a bast/’-level cadre of
health workers. The main aim in developing this
group would be geared towards working on
preventive and social means of tackling health issues.
Most of the time the focus of all health programmes
is curative rather than preventive. The effects of a
degraded ecosystem can be controlled if people are
aware of the correlation between this degradation
with their lives. This awareness should be followed
by reflection and action.
In our day to day lives there are so many instances
where each of us can prevent the environment from
being degraded or even utilise resources sparingly so
as to save them for future generations. However, due
to lack of knowledge we ourselves contribute a great
deal to this problem directly or indirectly by being
passive observers.
We are listing below a few tips that can be put to
use at the basti level:
What we can do about water and air pollution:
Identify and write letters of protest to those
industries or commercial establishments that
indulge in irresponsible waste disposal.
Very often it is the cultural and social practices of
people belonging to different communities/tribes that
contribute to their poor health status. At times
superstitions, beliefs, rituals, practices and stigma
attached to various diseases make it difficult to
identify and arrest illnesses in the early stage. Hence
it is very essential that health education should be
given prime importance with the focus being on
prevention.
Ecology and awareness regarding the environment go
hand in hand with the issue of health. The
responsibility that rests with each of us to preserve
and care for the environment so as to leave it as a
legacy for future generations should be made known
to the general public.
**
Complain to the state or central pollution
control boards through signature campaigns.
**
If problem is serious conduct a survey to
estimate the magnitude of pollutants being
released in your locality.
**
Set up a cell in your area, school or montior
pollution levels and to take appropriate
actions to curb such pollution.
**
Write articles to the local or national news
papers about the incidence of pollution in
your area.
♦*
The fact that the earth's resources are limited and
should not be wasted or exploited to the fullest, that
there will be none left for the generations to come
should be taken up as issues for discussion among
mahila, youth and children's groups. Simple inputs
on renewable and non-renewable resources, bio
degradable and non-biodegradable materials can be
explained through simplified scientific experiments
and used to create awareness on environment related
issues. These kind of inputs can be used in Mahila
Mandals, literacy groups, youth mandate where
Organise programmes in your area using
slides, exhibitions, street plays, etc. to inform
people about the harmful effects of pollut
ants, about their own role in causing
pollution and their responsibility in curbing
it.
28
What we can do about noise pollution:
**
Talk to or write to residents in your neighbourhood who keep their radios, tape-recorders or television
sets very loud causing nuisance to the neighbourhood.
♦*
Organise a delegation of representatives to approach the erring party to work out solutions amicably.
♦♦
Organise programmes in school or neighbourhood to inform people about the harmful physical and
psychological effects of noise and urge them to take a stand against producing avoidable noise.
**
♦*
fust before or during the Ganpathi or Diwali seasons (or other noise festivals) encourage people to refrain
from bursting noisy firecrackers or from using loudspeakers.
Talk to people belonging to your own religion against the use of loudspeakers during festivals or prayer
time. Encourage them to avoid using such devices.
What we can do about deforestation:
♦♦
Grow as many plants, shrubs or trees as you can.
*♦
Take care of tree saplings that you plant. Do not let them die for want of water, sunlight or protection.
♦♦
Organise a cell in your area to protect existing trees.
♦♦
If you come to know of an attempt at tree-felling, go with your group to the site and talk to the people
concerned about saving the tree(s).
♦♦
Lodge a complaint with the police about tree-felling in your area.
**
Around festival times such as Holi or Dussehra withhold your support to any kind of celebration which
involves the burning of trees. If possible actively oppose the destruction of trees for festival purposes.
*♦
Plants and trees give us precious oxygen and use up carbon dioxide. Keep potted plants if possible in
your house or balcony.
«♦
Paper ultimately comes from wood. Do not waste paper. Write on both sides. Use recycled paper. Re
use envelopes with economy labels.
What we can do about life style that will promote social justice and conserve the earth's resources:
«*
Avoid being tempted by advertisements into buying stuff that you do not actually need or want.
♦♦
Decide what you need to buy, draw up a budget and stick to it.
♦♦
Encourage the renovation, repair and re-use or recycling of materials and products as may be appropriate.
*♦
To save water, avoid washing things or having a bath in running water.
♦♦
Turn off lights, fans, etc. when not required.
*♦
Use left-over soap scraps.
♦♦
Cook so as to minimise energy consumption. Turn off gas/ stove as soon as cooking is complete.
29
Since 64 per cent of the respondents interviewed
were in favour of a campaign organised by Jagruti
Kendra to protest against industries destroying the
environment a long-term phase of work can be
planned out. This would be initiated by a mass
the occasion arises. Children and youth should be
encouraged a great deal to understand the
problem in its totality and work individually or
collectively on campaigns to propogate aware
ness.
awareness programme, followed by reflection and
action, utilising existing Mahila Mandals, literacy
groups, and youth as well as children's groups at
the school and basti level. Simply protesting
without being aware of the deeper implications of
the problem can be harmful. So, well organised
plans, using commonly approved and enjoyable
media of communications like skits, street plays,
debates, discussions, workshops, songs, slogans,
exhibitions should be planned to enlighten,
awaken, provoke people to reflect on the issue
and take a stand to act appropriately as and when
CONCLUSION
This chapter contained the major findings and
recommendations of the study. Initially the
research design, sampling, tools of data collection
and limitations of the study were explored.
Thereafter the main conclusions based on the
findings were highlighted. Finally the recommen
dations for the agency, the activists through the
mahila, youth and children's groups were in
cluded.
REFERENCES
D'Silva Allwyn, Vaz Laura, Battling Earth Enemies (Bombay : Social Justice Cell, November
1990).
D'Souza J.B., Myth and Reality, The Hindu Survey of the Environment (June 1992).
Darkening Scenario, The Hindu Survey of the Environment (June 1992).
Earth Summit, The Hindu Survey of the Environment (June 1992).
Cadgil, Madhav, Time for Bold Steps, The Hindu Survey of the Environment (June 1992).
Philip Viegas, Menon Geeta, The Impact of Environmental Degradation on People, (Delhi :
Indian Social Institute, 1989).
V. Suresh, D. Nagasaila and D. Geetha, Environmental Protection Laws, The Hindu Survey of the
Environment (June 1992).
Vohra Gautam, Altering Structures (Bombay : Tata Institute of Social Sciences, 1990).
V.V. Nadkarni, Intervention in Issues of Pollution Utilising Integrated Social Work Practice (Bom
bay : Tata Institute of Social Sciences, 1991).
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- Media
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