69319 SLUM STUDY IN SURAT SUBMITTED TO City Managers’ Association Gujarat The World Bank UD & UHD, Govt. of Gujarat SUBMITTED BY CENTRE FOR SOCIAL STUDIES, SURAT February 2002 Acknowledgement We are extremely grateful to following persons and institutes for providing help and assistance at various stages of the present study. - City Managers Association, Gujarat and its Executive Director Dr. Yashesh Anantani as well as his other colleagues for assigning the CSS this study. - Prof. Vidyut Joshi, Director, Centre for Social Studies, Surat for keeping faith in us for carrying out the study. - Surat municipal Corporation and its various functionaries for providing important information and sharing their insights. - People and leaders of various slums for sharing their insights and views without any inhibitions. - All the participants of workshop organised by CMAG, for attending it and taking part in discussion. - Mr. Ranchhod Patel, Mr. Umesh Rathod, Mr. Paris Parmar and Mr. Raghvendra Bhati, who took the major burden of collecting information. - Faculty members and administrative staff of CSS for assisting and cooperating at various stages during this study. Babasaheb Kazi Kiran Desai The present report discusses the study of slums in the city of Surat and it is divided into eight sections. Section One introduces the study and discusses general background, overall methodology, methods and techniques of data collection, and methods of analysis; Section Two profiles the city of Surat and Slums therein; Section Three discusses definition and recognition of slums and situation of tenure of land along with the physical and social infrastructure and people’s views on the same; Section Four attempts to throw light on resettlement and up-gradation of slums and Section Five relates with the community participation and activities in the slums. Besides, Appendix I contains a list of respondents, Appendix II provides the tools of data collection. Appendix III consists of maps of studied slums. CONTENTS Acknowledgement Preface List of Maps 5 List of Charts and Photographs 5 Executive Summary 6 Section I Introduction and Methodology 10 Section II Surat and the slums in Surat 19 Section III Slums: Definition, Recognition, Tenure of land, 26 Infrastructure and Problems Section IV Slums in Surat: Up-gradation and Resettlement 39 Section V Slums in Surat: Community Participation 46 Appendices Appendix 1 - List of Respondents 50 Appendix 2 - Major Research Tools 53 Appendix 3 - Maps (not with the electronic copy) 58 List of Maps Map No. Title Page No. 1 Adarsh Pacchatvarg Vasahat Appendix III 2 Bhagwati Nagar -- do -- 3 Khanshaheb No Batho -- do -- 4 Nehru Nagar - WZ -- do -- 5 Patelwadi -- do -- 6 Pratap Nagar -- do -- 7 Rasulabad -- do -- 8 Shivnagar -- do -- 9 Siddharth Nagar -- do -- List of charts and photographs Page no. Chart A: Share of total monthly expenditure by various heads 25 Photograph 1. A `kutcha house in a slum, Surat 28 Photograph 2. Provision of drinking water in a slum, Surat. 32 Photograph 3. Sanitation and a slum, Surat 34 Photograph 4. A closed drainage line in a slum, Surat 35 Photograph 5. Degradation to up-gradation, a slum in Surat 39 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The Project  promote a well-argued and synchronized approach to upgrading of services in To slums in the urban areas of Gujarat, the Urban Development and Urban Housing Department of the state is in the process of drafting a Gujarat State Urban Slums Policy. CMAG, which was given this task, in turn selected, contracted and commissioned Centre for Social Studies (CSS) to conduct the studies on slums in Surat, Ankleshwar, Halol and Porbandar. The objectives of these studies of slums in four towns/cities were as follows: The similarities and differences identified may be in perceptions of slum dwellers about the priority of services in the slum, their economic condition, economic potential and willingness to share the cost of internal infrastructure and community dynamics including the degree or potential for community organization, mobilization or group savings, etc. The scope of the study included identifying various stakeholders in Surat who may have the experience and knowledge of the quality of life in slums, their socio-economic conditions, the availability of the infrastructure, physical as well as social, in the slums or around the slums and their perceptions about their priorities and Conducting in-depth study involving the above stakeholders and by direct interaction with various slum-dwellers of different castes and communities/regions.  review of all the slums, organisations and institutions working A among/for slums and of recent studies done on slums, was taken. The community leaders, key informants, social workers and activists in slums, municipal officers, and professionals working for/in the slums were identified and listed. Twelve (two per zone) slums out of a total of around 310 slums were selected for this study. A workshop was not conducted at Surat as CMAG had already conducted a regional workshop on ‘Gujarat state urban slum policy development’ at Surat on October 12, 2001. For the case studies community leader and lead-ladies were preferred mainly belonging to majority social groups in the slums. People’s Definition of Slum  The residents of slums have conceptual clarity about definition of slums.  slum is a basti (locality) where crowded, un/under educated A pancharangi (mix) population i.e. coming from other states, speaking various languages, etc., occupied with various types of labour, and having poor economic status, many small children playing in the gullies (lanes and sub-lanes), stays together harmoniously with intermittent quarrels and fights in small kutcha hut-like houses, made of (mainly) woods, patra (asbestos sheets or old iron material) uncertain or lack of electric facility, low or no (drinking) water supply, absence of approach road and pavements within, far off education and health provisions; in low hygienic conditions, (“hygiene and cleanliness of the surrounding depends on municipal authority�) comprising a lot of dirt, filth, absence or improper drainage, open gutters; and water coming inside the houses during or floods or monsoon. Not only physical attributes but even human aspects are taken care of by slum-dwellers in defining a slum. In their definition, apart from poor physical and social infrastructure, population with weaker social and economic background has also been included. According to many slum-dwellers an authorised slum means the area where there is facility of electricity and water and land is owned by people, while illegal slum means a place where there is no facility of water and electricity and the land is not owned by the households. The Surat workshop recommended that a legal status should be given to the slums and a slum survey should be undertaken every five years to notify or de-notify slums.  land, according some of our respondent slum-dwellers, is supposed to be A provided by Municipal Corporation for purpose of slum. In many a slum the dwellers own unequal size of land. Physical Infrastructure The present scenario in terms of physical and social infrastructure can be called dismal in all the slums. People are highly dissatisfied over standard of the facilities of water, drainage, toilet, and roads especially.  four-fifth of the slum-dwellers depends on tap water as the source. Almost none A of the slum-dweller receives water for 24 hours.  four-fifth of the slum-dwellers has electricity connection in their houses. In A some of the slums there is no supply of electricity at all. Major problem of some slums is lack of community toilets. A few families across slums in Surat have private latrines. Around two third of the slum-dwellers do not have the facility of public toilet in their vicinity.  the slums the garbage is collected occasionally. Almost all slum-dwellers In dispose garbage through community sweepers. Less than two-thirds slum- dwellers report that their locality has covered drains. The workshop argued with consensus that physical infrastructure services like house to house water supply, storm water drainage, sanitation, sewerage, if possible individual toilets or pay & use toilets, street lighting, etc., be provided in a full-fledged package. The Surat workshop recommended that law should be amended to include provision of above services in slums situated on private lands irrespective of right, title or interest of the owner of the land to maintain health and sanitation in the city in general and slums in particular. Social Infrastructure Some slums have to depend solely on untrained private practitioners, while some of the slums enjoy good private health facility around having qualified private doctors and also a government health clinic nearby. Some slums do not have any health facility nearby. SMC paramedical staff visits some slums once a fortnight or so. NGOs have been working at grass roots level and in close contact with slum dwellers. Most of the slum-dwellers reported that the facility, which is not available to them, is the priority for them. The slums like Pratapnagar, Swami Vivekanand Nagar were given notices for demolition by Surat Municipal Corporation already. The idea of up-gradation has been received with great sincerity by slum dwellers and they opened their mind and heart without any restraint. Upgradation and Resettlement With regard to up-gradation, the dwellers in Pratapnagar, Bhagavatinagar, and Rasulabad have shown their interest in in-situ house up-gradation and agreed for making systematic pucca houses on the same land. In slums like Adarsh Pachhatvarg Vasahat dwellers refused any in-situ house up-gradation as they already have pucca houses.  multi-storied building as in-situ up-gradation was rejected by dwellers in A Bhagavatinagar as they own unequal size of land. The slum-dwellers from Pratapnagar also refused the building option. The workshop held in Surat by CMAG on ‘Gujarat State Slum Policy Development recommended that The consent of slum dwellers is necessary before any change is proposed. Once, basic amenities are provided, the slum should be de-notified as a “slum�. Shelter improvement shall be the responsibility of individual slum dwellers and government may assist the slum dwellers in availing micro- finance facilities through NGOs and banks. Taxation liability should be accepted by slum dwellers after up-gradation.  the slums on private lands, legal issues to be examined about their in- For situ up-gradation by the ULBs. The private land could be acquired by the local body at the rates lower than market rates and then be sold the same to slum dwellers. Any new slum formed should not be upgraded or notified. Industries need to provide housing for its labour force. Existing slums in hazardous industrial areas should be relocated to safer places. Slums (which are to be finally relocated) could be shifted to the fringe areas and be connected to work places of the slum dwellers through cheap transportation. Slum dwellers present in the workshop opined for in-situ up-gradation.  many a slum there is some type of formal or informal organization, which In could be mobilized by the ‘nodal’ NGO. There are proposed housing co- operative societies, water co-operatives, credit societies, mahila mandals (women’s groups), Bhishis (similar to self help groups), etc. The workshop strongly felt that The slum dweller is a member of the society and should always be willing for partnerships in the projects. Most slum dwellers will prefer an NGO to manage their affairs.  recommended that NGOs should be mobilized to motivate slum It dwellers to participate in slum up-gradation schemes. They may establish Community Based Organisations with active participation of slum dwellers. Women’s groups should be formed in slums by NGOs. The entire range of social services can be organized with the help of NGOs/voluntary organizations.  expected the slum-dwellers to contribute around 25% of the total cost It towards payment for services. CBOs should create awareness among the slum dwellers to maintain the services once provided in the slums from a corpus of fund created locally. SECTION - I INTRODUCTION AND METHODOLOGY The Study Since Independence planners and development workers in our country concentrated more on development of rural areas. At the same time, contrary to their expectations, much of the rural population migrated to nearby towns, cities and metropolis for better employment opportunities and living conditions. For want of proper housing most of these migrants, at times alone and at times with their households, created there own neighbourhoods consisting mainly kutchcha and semi-kutchcha houses. These abodes, popularly called as slums, remained wanting of many a basic amenity like safe drinking water, latrines, approach roads, internal roads/pavements, electricity, drainage, health and primary education facilities, etc. The town/city planners and administration faced resource crunch to make these provisions. Irrespective of all this the slum-dwellers carved out an indispensable place for themselves in the cities’ networks, as they were involved in casual labour, housework, construction labour, factory workers, cleaners and scavengers, etc. There is no defined, consistent and acceptable national or state policy about these slums in some of the states. Gujarat is one of such states. To promote a well-argued and synchronized approach to upgrading of services in slums in the urban areas of Gujarat, the Urban Development and Urban Housing Department of the state is in the process of drafting a Gujarat State Urban Slums Policy, which may cover notification/de- notification, access to social services, economic empowerment, financing sustainable services, providing credit facilities, shelter improvement, monitoring and evaluation. City Managers Association of Gujarat (CMAG) had been entrusted by the World Bank the task of providing technical assistance for the drafting of the above policy. City Managers Association, Gujarat The CMAG with the objectives of information exchange/dissemination, training/capacity building and advocacy, is a forum to support professional development of urban managers to enhance their in-house capacity to handle the complex urban issues and improve urban governance. It is registered as a society and a public trust. In order to nurture excellence in local governance and improve the quality of life of the citizens, CMAG strives to build, professional management capacity within urban local bodies, and strengthens and promotes them as centres of opportunity, leadership and governance. CMAG, in turn selected, contracted and commissioned Centre for Social Studies (CSS), along with other organizations/institution to conduct slum studies in four cities: Surat, Ankleshwar, Halol and Porbandar. Centre for Social Studies CSS is an autonomous social science research institute. It was founded by late Professor I.P. Desai in 1969. It receives block grants towards its recurring and non- recurring expenditure from the Indian Council of Social Science Research, New Delhi, and the Department of Education, Government of Gujarat. Besides multi-disciplinary research, the Centre is involved in providing guidance to Ph.D. students, consultancy, training and evaluation. The Centre for Social Studies is registered as a Society and a Trust. The Centre is also a recognized research institution of the Government of India (the Ministry of Science and Technology). Although most of the research studies undertaken by the Centre are confined to Gujarat, work relating to other parts of the country is also carried out for purposes of comparative analysis and to help develop a pan-Indian perspective. Research activities at the Centre are informed by a reflexive awareness of the social role of the researcher and the nature of social science research. For these studies, CMAG requested a technical as well as financial bid from the CSS. The former contained the sampling of slums and resource persons, methods of data collection and analysis, contents of the reports, time frame, etc. for the studies while later contained the budget for the projects. CSS was earlier commissioned for two cities: Surat and Ankleshwar. But within a weeks time the CSS was commissioned to study two more towns: Halol and Porbandar. Methodology Objectives: The objectives of these studies of slums in four towns/cities are as follows:  To review the status of slum development process and among others, identify key stakeholders, those who would enjoy the benefits of capital investment plan as well as those who are likely to be adversely affected by it, including tribal, with a view to facilitate their participation in the process of urban reforms  To determine how adverse socio-economic impacts could be avoided, minimized or effectively mitigated. The study covered the following issues:  The similarities and differences identified may be in perceptions of slum dwellers about  The priority of services in the slum, their economic condition, economic potential and willingness to share the cost of internal infrastructure  Their land ownership status and level of comfort in relation to tenure of land  Community dynamics including the degree or potential for community organization, mobilization or group savings, etc.  Elicit the views of slum dwellers on their relocation if required and re- development on the same location with private sector participation (on the lines of Mumbai where multi-storied buildings are constructed at the same location, and allotted to slum dwellers, and the land becoming surplus is utilized for other developmental purposes.  Assessment of social, economic and traditional conditions and practices of the community, particularly women, working children and others who live in slums and “chawls� with a view to identify, among others, their needs and priorities for water supply, sanitation, sewerage, drainage, sustainable income, access to institutional credits for housing their capacity and willingness to pay for services and maintenance of community level social infrastructure, and in the process identify various opportunities and constraints which they face. Scope of the study  Identify various stakeholders in Surat who may have the experience and knowledge of the quality of life in slums, their socio-economic conditions, the availability of the infrastructure, physical as well as social, in the slums or around the slums and their perceptions about their priorities will be identified.  Conduct in-depth study involving the above stakeholders and by direct interaction with various slum dwellers of different castes and communities/regions.  During the study, carefully identify the similarities and differences in the perceptions of the slum dwellers more particularly in regard to the following.  How do they wish to define a ‘slum’?  What are their expectations in regard to recognition of slums by the government/local authorities?  What are their perceptions about in-situ up-gradation vis-à-vis relocation or redevelopment through private sector participation on the lines of Mumbai?  Their priorities of physical infrastructure services in the slums such as water supply, sewerage, toilets, street-lighting, paving, solid waste management, etc.  Their priorities for individual services vis-à-vis community services.  Their priorities of social infrastructure such as schools, health services, access to medical services, income generating activities, etc.  Their economic conditions in terms of standard of living, earning capabilities, level of skills, their capacity to pay, etc.  Their willingness to share the cost of physical infrastructure to be laid, in terms of fixed amount such as Rs. 2000, Rs. 3000, Rs. 5000, etc. or in terms of percentage of the expenditure incurred such as 20%, 30%, 40%, or 50%.  Their willingness access to micro credit facility for paying up-front the amount indicated above.  Their perceptions about tenure of land on which they live: It may be specifically ascertained whether they perceive adequate security of tenure if the local body through an official resolution declares that the slum dwellers will not be disturbed from the present occupation for at least ten years, twenty years, etc. If not, what their minimum expectation towards security of land tenure to motivate them to share the cost of in-situ up-gradation is should be ascertained. Methods  A review of all the slums, organisations and institutions working among/for them including municipal apparatus of the city and a review of recent studies done on one or more that one slums of the city was taken. A similar review also was taken for cities of Ahmedabad and Vadodara. This helped us in identifying the key informants and stakeholders.  A consultative and participative process with underpinnings of qualitative research methods was used to conduct the study. The community leaders, key informants, social workers and activists in slums, municipal officers, and professionals working for/in the slums were identified and listed.  Case study and focus group discussion were used as techniques with interview guide and a topic lists as the instruments of data collection (see Annexure I).  At least two or more slums were to be chosen by looking at one or more than one of the criteria like cast, religion, language, place of origin, period of stay, and type of household. But looking at the vastness of the Surat city …  Twelve (two per zone) slums out of a total of around 310 slums were selected for this study. They were Patelwadi, Jadabavanotekro, Siddharthnagar, Adarsh pachhat vasahat, Nehrunagar and Khansbnobhato, Halpativas, Swamivivekanandnagar, Pratapnagar, Rasualabad, Bhagavatinagar, Shivanagar. In first six, two focus group discussions each, and in latter six three case studies each was conducted. In addition to this we conducted a case study each in two randomly selected slums: Kalyanbhaini chawl and Rupalinagarneher to validate the findings of our study. In total around 140 persons representing population in and related slums in Surat were contacted. Table 1 The selected slums and the type of data collected Sr. Name of the selected slum FGDs (at least one Case Studies (at least No. each with women’s one each with a woman group in each slum) in each slum) 1 Nehrunagar 3 2 Khgansbnobhato 2 3 Patelwadi 2 4 Jadabavanotekro 2 5 Siddharthnagar 1 6 Rasualabad 2 1 additional) 7 Adarsh pachhat vasahat 2 8 Halpativas 2 9 Swamivivekanandnagar 2 10 Pratapnagar 2 11 Bhagavatinagar 2 12 Shivanagar 2 13 Kalyan bhaini chawl 1 (additional) 14 Rupalinagarneher 1 (additional) Total 12 15  A workshop was not conducted at Surat as CMAG had already conducted a regional workshop on Gujarat state urban slum policy development at Surat on October 12, 2001. It was attended by around 40 persons representing Surat city. The data from this workshop were incorporated in this report.  In total around 120 persons representing slum population and related with the slum population in Surat were contacted. In every selected slum community, the first two social groups by caste, tribe, religion and sect, with a large number of households were selected for focus group discussions (FGD), though in a couple of cases we had to resort to a mix group. For the case studies community leader and lead-ladies were preferred mainly belonging to majority social group.  The data were analysed manually by marking, coding, noting on cards and card sorting. The qualitative analysis software Ethnograph v5.0 was also used to analyse main body of the data. SECTION - II SURAT AND THE SLUMS IN SURAT The City of Surat Surat is located in the state of Gujarat in western India on the banks of river Tapti (latitude 21.15’ N and 71.52’ E). It occupies a pivotal position on Ahmedabad- Mumbai corridor and is at a distance of 230 km. and 256 km respectively from these cities. Magadalla port is within the periphery of Surat. Surat is among the first fifteen most populated cities in the country. As per the 1991 census it is the second fastest growing city. As per the provisional figures of 2001 census the city has around 2.8 million population, which is spread over an area of 113 square kilometres. The population projections for Surat for the years 2011 and 2021 is 3.52 millions and 4.36 millions respectively. The sex ratio of the city population (835) has reduced faster than growth of the population. Surat has a long history. During seventeenth century, Portuguese, English and Dutch established trade and also ruled the city. Since these times, Surat is known for gold based Jari (yarn) weaving and trade. Surat has also developed into a textile centre since 1861, when first textile mill was founded. In recent decade or two, the chemical and pharmaceutical industry is steadily developing in and around the city. Besides being a major centre of textile industry, the city boasts of its development through diamond (cutting and polishing) industries. The rapidly growing city is pulling workers from all over the state of Gujarat and other parts of India. Narmadshankar, a son of Surat, was known in the field of social reform and literature. Since, the establishment of Sarvajanik Education Society, Surat has developed into a major centre of higher education. Presently it has around 300 schools around 15 collages, a regional engineering collage and the South Gujarat University. Since the publication of Surat Mitra in 1853, there are around fifteen newspapers (13 Gujarati, one Hindi, one English and one Marathi), which are published, distributed and read in Surat. Surat has a history of floods. The floods in 1822, 1835, 1837, 1843, 1849 and 1994 and 1997 were the major ones. The floods of 1994 were followed by a virulent disease, mostly identified as Plague, which struck the city during August-September not only caused 59 deaths but also made the city aggressively address its environmental and public health problems and introduce many urban management programmes with a clear and overwhelming support from a majority of the citizens. Of late these various changes have helped to make the city clean and healthy and it is now regarded as one of the cleanest cities in the country. Surat Municipal Corporation: The municipality of Surat was established in 1852 which later, in 1944, suspended by people themselves as part of an agitation against the British. It was re-established in 1946 and in 1966, became a municipal corporation. The SMC supplies around 320 mld.. (Million litres per day) water to the city population for domestic use (298 mld.), industrial use (15.5 mld.), commercial use (5 mld.) institutional use (0.5 mld.), and stand-posts (1 mld.). As the present demand is 460 mld, there is a gap of 140 mld. water. River Tapti is the only source of water available to the city. The SMC has prepared a water supply master plan to fulfil the long-term demand of citizens for the year 2021. The population is projected at 4.4 millions and the demand for water at 1480 mld. The purpose of the master plan is to supply sufficient quantity of potable water to every citizen through piped network with sufficient pressure at their doorstep. In 1999, the SMC spent Rs. 1676 thousands (8.7% of the total SMC expenditure) on provision of water facility and Rs. 323 thousands (18.3% of the departmental budget) was spent on the salaries of employees of the department. The citizen access to sewerage facilities is inadequate. Out of the total city area of 113 square kilometres only 41.54 square kilometres (36.81) covering 65% of the population, with a sewerage lines of the length of 341.5 kms., is served by a comprehensive sewerage system. The Drainage Department of SMC deals with providing comprehensive sewerage network to the city under eight different area-wise schemes: Rander-Adajan Scheme, Navagam Drainage Scheme, Piplod Drainage Scheme, Umra South drainage Scheme, Katargam Drainage Scheme, Umarwada Drainage Scheme, Bhatar Drainage Scheme and Karanj Drainage Scheme. In 1999, The SMC spent Rs. 717 thousands (3.7% of the total SMC expenditure) on liquid waste management and Rs. 3240 thousands (45.2% of the departmental budget) was spent on the salaries of employees of the department. Surat city, divided into six Zones and 54 wards, generates about 1100 metric ton solid waste per day averaging 450 gram per capita per day. Out of these 960 metric tonnes is reportedly collected by the SMC. There are 805 dustbins and 650 intermediate collection centres all over the city and waste is reportedly collected twice a day. All the waste is dumped at 1) a five-hectare area in Bhatar region and 2) another two-hectare area in Katargam region of the city. In 1999, The SMC spent Rs. 223 thousands (1.2% of the total SMC expenditure) on solid waste management and Rs. 1350 thousands (60.5% of the departmental budget) was spent on the salaries of employees of the department. Presently, the SMC has been concentrating on slum improvement efforts aimed at providing basic infrastructure in the form of community latrines, drainage, internal roads and streetlights. Centre for Social Studies (CSS) had conducted a benchmark study on community hygiene and health status of the urban poor in terms of both availability and accessibility to infrastructure amenities in Surat. The findings unravel access or the lack of it to basic services by the urban poor. This study comprising a survey of 1141 households in 38 slums/bastis, sampled from amongst all 307 slums across six zones in Surat city through probability proportion to size (PPS) method, was conducted. The quantitative data referred below are drawn from the summarized findings of this study. Socio-Economic Profile of Slums in Surat The 307 different bastis comprise this slum population (30% to the total) in Surat, which was estimated in 1993 to be 433,496. According to Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC) by mid 2000 this population has reached a figure of 1.12 millions (250 thousand HHs). These slums are mainly comprised of migrant populations from within the state, like the Vaghari community, or other states in Union of India, like Andhra Pradesh, Orissa, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, etc. Most households in these slums belong lower social groups like the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, poor sections from minorities and other lower castes, like Niaka, Mahyavanshi, Maddiga, Mala, Mahar, Chamars, etc. 742 is the sex ratio in the slum localities in Surat. Among children above the age of five years in Surat slums, about seven out of every twenty are illiterate, one is functionally literate, eight study till primary level, three study till middle level and one half of every twenty pursue higher studies. Around half of such children go to school ever. The mean year of schooling is around 6.00. Economic Conditions: The male working population mainly depends on textile industries in Surat as they are occupied with different types of jobs in these industries. Some have small shops, provision shops, hardware stores, private telephone booth, cart-pooling, tea- stall, auto rickshaw driving, diamond cutting and polishing, street-vendor, plumber, mason work, colouring, electrician, selling vegetables, coolie, casual labour, etc. in the slums under this study. Many women are not engaged in earning process, as they are housewives. A few women work as mainly as housemaids, rag pickers or casual labourer in textile market. Six out of every ten slum dwellers holding an occupation are in regular employment; two are self employed, one each in casual employment and one in other occupations. There are an unprecedented variety of vocations of the slum dwellers in Surat. The list following is claimed not be exhaustive: Self-employment (modern): Autorikshaw, Bobinworker, Soap worker, Scrap, Tempo, Tuitions, Watch repair, WC cleaner, Wood sale, Contractor, Coolie/hamali, Cycle repair, Electric work, Lorry, Mechanic, Pipe work, Rag picker, Lathe Machine, Lace making, Packing (around seven per cent). Self- employment (traditional): Bharatkam, Khatik, Bangle Making, Luharikam, Mali kam, Mason work/Kadiyakam, Pilo work, Potter, Prepare bidi, Tailoring, Thief, Husbandry, Barber, Cloth iron/ironing/laundry, Basket Maker, Bangle Sale, Broom maker, Carpenter, Cart, Cobbler, Fisherman, Hawker (around seven per cent) Self-employment (shop): Business, Chasma shop, Flower shop, Grocery shop, Hotel, Dairy, Home industry (around three percent). Self-employment (salesmen): Chatai sale, Cloth sale, Goods sale, Chemical sale, Old cloth sale, Sale toys, Salesman (around one percent). Self-employment (food sellers): Cold drink sale/ Selling ice-cream, Dalmuth sale, Fruit seller, Fish sale, Masala sale, Nuts sale, Salt seller, Vegetable seller/green seller (around three per cent). Self- employment (handcart- lari): Lari/Galla, Pani-puri lari, Tea lari, Vada lari, Kerosene Lari, Pan stall (around five percent) Regular job (govt., semi-govt.): Conductor, Fireman, Guard, Govt. service, Nurse, SMC service, SMC sweeper, Supervisor, Tele dept., Dalal (around six and a half percent). Regular job (textile): Looms operator, Sari work, Beem, Cloth colouring, Cloth shop, Color lab, Colour work, Cutting cloth, Design master, Dyeing & printing, Factory worker, Handloom, Machine operator, Printing mill, Saree printing, Textile related, Winding job, Service in mill, Testing, Textile shop job, Warping, Cloth work (around 36 and a half per cent). Regular job (other sectors): Job/Private service, Cable, Chicken centre, Helper, Compounder, AutoDriver, News paper, Diamond worker, Misc work, Working in the shop, Maid, Liftman, Garage, Door keeper, Mess, Photo shop, Lining work, Machine man, Saree shop job, Fitter, Shopwork, Talkies operator, Teacher, Tele. booth, Peon, Tempo driver, Worker, Manager, Welding, Wood factory, Watchman, Cooking, Gardener, Safai kamdar, Sweeper (around 18 percent). Casual work: Casual labour, Farming, Handwork, Jariwork, Road work, Scarf cutting, Statue maker, Tempo helper, Truck driver assistant (around 12 per cent). Other occupations: Anganwadi worker, Social worker, Retired, Rent, Pension, Band, Begger (around one per cent). The average household income p.m. of a slum households is around Rs. 4000. For every fifteen out of twenty slum-dwellers it falls within the range of Rs. 1000 to Rs. 5000 and about one out of twenty slum-dwellers it is even lesser. The average total expenditure p.m. of these 1141 households is around Rs. 2500. Chart A: Share of total monthly expenditure by various heads Health Basic Services Education 6% Rent 8% 2% 5% Clothing 7% Food 72% The chart throws some light on the pattern of expenditure on various heads by the slum- dwellers. In some slums, some have pucca houses. Some houses are built in systematic rows. One out every ten live in a pucca house whereas three live in a kachcha and six live in a semi-pucca house. Six out of every ten houses are owned by the residents and three are rented. Physical Amenities Water: A four-fifth of the slum-dwellers depend on tap water as the source. More than a third use private taps while slightly less than a half use public taps. Water is also purchased from private bores at the rate of one Rupee per vessel in some of the bastis. Almost none of the slum-dweller receive water for 24 hours. They receive it for four hours on an average. Two-third of them receive it for more than one but less than five hours. Almost all the slum-dwellers are supplied water for all the seven days. But still there is one out of every twenty slum-dwellers who does not get water for even a day. There is no SMC water supply in some bastis. The residents of Siddharthnagar get water by tanker. Water available in some bastis is felt not good for drinking. Photograph 2. Provision of drinking water in a slum, Surat. Electricity: Only four households among every ten have metered connections. Four-fifth of the slum-dwellers have electricity connection in their houses. Almost a half share an electrical connection with their neighbour. In slums like Nehrunagar, according to a group of migrant women from Uttar Pradesh, one has to pay Rs. 200 p.m. for lighting just one bulb. All the slum-dwellers with metered connections also do not report to have received electricity for 24 hours a day though a tenth of them do get it for more than 21 hours. In some of the slums there is no official supply of electricity at all. Hence most of the people resort to connecting a wire with the main line and get electricity. In some of the slums there are no streetlights on the main roads of the area. Toilets: Major problem of some slums is a lack of community toilets. A few families across slums in Surat have private latrines. Others do not have this facility so they use open ground for the purpose. Some have access to public toilets but have to pay for. One of very six slum-dwellers has no toilet hence has to use open places; almost a half use private toilets while less than a half depend on public toilets (including paid ones). Around two third of the slum-dwellers do not have the facility of public toilet in their vicinity. There are no community toilets in bastis like Jadobavno tekro, Tasniwadi and Khansahebnabhato. ‘Pay and use’ toilets which are on contract are closed from 7 p.m. till 7 a.m., which reduce the accessibility to these toilets. Nine tenth of the slum-dwellers, who use public toilets, have to pay for the use. Though all the slum-dwellers have some or other kind of bathing place, four fifth have these places within their house. A group of migrant Maharashtrian women from Patelwadi complained that the municipal body does not allow them to build kutcha or semi-pucca toilets at their own expenses. Such toilets are brought to earth by the Demolition squad of the said body. Garbage: In the slums the garbage is collected occasionally. Sometimes collected garbage is not taken from the container provided by the Corporation, but it is thrown in the open gutter by the municipal sweepers. The dwellers in Siddharthnagar slum throw the garbage at roadside heap in their community or dispose it of in a canal near the slum, which is used for bathing, washing clothes and cleaning utensils. Almost all slum- dwellers dispose garbage through community sweepers. Only four out of ten slum- dwellers find the sweeper daily in their locality; for another four there is no practice of sweeper and for the rest sweeper comes infrequently. Drainage: Another major problem many of these slums have is a lack of proper sanitation and sewage. Households having made private toilets inside the house connect them improperly to gutters through which the solid waste and the garbage thrown by people floats and flows. Some have underground gutters connected with main gutters. Photograph 3. Sanitation and a slum, Surat There is an underground gutter line for disposal of dirty water in Rasulabad slum but during monsoon, the water of creek (adjacent to Rasulabad slum) enters into the area through this very line and the area gets flooded. Less than two-thirds slum-dwellers report that their locality has covered drains. The open drains are available for every four out of ten and remaining have no drains, who use khalkuvas (pits where sanitation water was collected for a period of time and then cleaned by family members periodically). Six out of every seven slum-dwellers report that the drains in their respective localities are connected to the main line drain. Photograph 4. A closed drainage line in a slum, Surat The workshop argued with consensus that physical infrastructure services like house to house water supply, storm water drainage, sanitation, sewerage, if possible individual toilets or pay & use, street lighting, etc., be provided in a full-fledged package and wherever the package is not possible, services be provided according to priorities of services and slum type (authorized vs. unauthorized slum settlements). It recommended that law should be amended to include provision of above services in slums situated on private lands irrespective of right, title or interest of the owner of the land to maintain health and sanitation in the city in general and slums in particular. Individual metering should be done so as to avoid illegal use of electricity services. Thereafter, operational activities and maintenance should be the responsibility of the slum dwellers. Committees or Mandals should be formed to undertake maintenance works. Once the slums are upgraded, they should be taxed appropriately by the municipal bodies for the maintenance of services. There are no pavements in some bastis like Siddharthnagar, where residents also expect that a Mandir be built by the concerned authority as a part of social services package. Social amenities: Some slums do not even have Anganwadis. But some others even have primary and secondary schools near the area. Some slums have to depend solely on untrained private practioners, while some of the slums enjoy good private health facility around having qualified private doctors and also a government health clinic nearby. Some slums like Rasulabad have some non-government organization providing medical facilities. Those who can’t afford, have to go at a distance to receive government health facility. Some slums, however, do not have government health facility nearby. SMC paramedical staff visits some slums once a fortnight or so. There is usual opinion, here expressed by a group of migrant women from Uttar Pradesh in Nehrunagar, that treatment, medical or otherwise from the government health centres is very unsatisfactory and medicine there from are ineffective. Hence, the workshop observes that, apart from provision of physical infrastructure, social services form a crucial factor for improving the quality of life of slum dwellers. NGOs have been working at grass roots level and are in close contact with slum dwellers. Hence, provision of social services like education, health, community halls for meetings, reading, income generating activity, etc., should be provided using NGOs as a vehicle of service delivery and for change. Health posts should be created at the level of clusters of slums. Awareness and sensitization programs towards changing mindsets and inculcating civic sense among slum dwellers (assuming it is not in them) should be undertaken by NGOs and CBOs. Further, the workshop agreed on the provisions of other services, which were earlier raised in Ahmedabad Workshop like childcare centers through Integrated Child Development Scheme of Government of India, primary school facilities and substantial improvement in the level of teaching and learning, crèche for children of working women, and monitoring of drop out children and there readmissions through NGOs. Priorities: Most of the slum-dwellers reported that the facility, which is, not there is the priority for them. The quality of the amenity available is hardly an issue for the slum-d- dwellers. In case of the absence of more than one priority the data is summarised and a priority list in that order may go as follows subject to unavailability: Physical infrastructure: water, electricity in household, garbage disposal, pavements, toilets, streetlights, sanitation/sewage, pucca approach road. Social infrastructure: Unemployment, income generation, health, education, community hall and leisure time activities. Problems of Slums Lack of one or more infrastructure and social amenities is a common problem of almost all the slums. During monsoon some of the slums in low lying area on the banks of Tapti river face flood. A lack of 'Sanad' i.e. a legal document establishing rights over ownership of land which has not been given to them by the Corporation is yet and her problem. Some slums (obviously with non-Muslim population) with surround by Muslims communities feel insecure, particularly during riots. Another major problem reported is that of not having caste certificates for those belonging to schedule castes. These certificates, they perceive, will help them get bank loans for housing easily. Fear of Demolition: Though the State, NGOs and academia are articulating in the terms of resettlement, in situ up-gradation, slum dwellers’ participation, etc. the demolition activities were observed in most of the cities we were studying. Hence, even in the city of Surat yet another major problem of the slum dwellers is that of a threat of demolition. The slums like Pratapnagar, Swami Vivekanand Nagar, etc. were given notices by SMC already. SECTION - III SLUMS: DEFINITION, RECOGNITION, TENURE OF LAND, INFRASTRUCTURE AND PROBLEMS Definition of Slum Defining slums is not an easy academic task. Some key definitions can be mentioned here. The Maharashtra Slum Areas Act, 1971, crisply terms it as 'any area in the state which is unfit for human habitation'. Another civic administration body defines it as follows: 'a slum is taken to mean hutting areas with squalid surroundings. In such areas huts are erected in a haphazard manner without proper access. Minimum basic amenities are lacking in these areas. Protected water supply and drainage arrangements do not exist in these areas' (as defined by the Commissioner of Madras Corporation, 1961). Incorporating various definitions Biswaroop Das has evolved working definition of a slum as follows: "Continuous, yet at times physically separated geographic spaces within the 'legal' urban limits of a city that are characterized by a serious lack of basic amenities and sanitation with dense and overcrowded housing conditions where dwelling units range variously in terms of the use of material for walls and roofs available rather cheap with substantial contribution of one's own or very cheap labour for the shaping of such dwellings and surroundings…" (Das Biswaroop, 1994). The Slum Dwellers’ Definition of Slum Rajmaniben in Pratapnagar defines slum as ‘a land provided by SMC for slum purpose and where the inhabitants expect or demand infrastructural facilities at free of cost. Density of population is very high. The general hygiene and cleanliness of the surrounding depends on municipal authority. Slum-dwellers are mostly occupied as labourers. Durgaiyya Talsetti from the same slum defines slum as ` a basti which does not have drinking water facility, electricity, (proper) employment for inhabitants, etc. and has poor economic status with (abodes in) kutcha houses made of (mainly) woods and old steel’. A health worker of a voluntary health organisation from Swami Vivekanandnagar Defines a slum 'as group of houses small in size made by woods, patra (asbestos sheets or iron), where people from other states stay together.' Slum,' according to her is characterised by water coming inside the houses during monsoon, uncertain electric and water supply and low hygiene Definition of the slum given by Bhanuben from Bhagavatinagar is: ` (it is a) pacharangi (mix) population, with poor economic status, mainly occupied as labour work and daily quarrels. People (in slums) are found uneducated, and have kutcha houses (which are filled with water during monsoon or floods) is called slum". A group of migrant Maharashtrians from Rasulabad slum define slum as an area without drainage, water, electricity etc. and is very dirty. Even if, they added, the slum gets recognition and has pucca houses along with necessary facilities; still it will be called a slum. A group of women from Nehrunagar think that wherever there are huts with lack of water, electricity, proper roads, etc. is called a slum. The group of migrant Oriya men reported that a locality where poor people stay in kutcha houses enjoy no infrastructural facilities is considered a slum. According to a group of Muslim women from Khansahebnu Bhatu described a slum as a place where there are small kutcha houses, a lot of filth, open gutters, many small children playing in the gullies (lanes and sub-lanes), people of various languages and many fights take place. People’s definition of slum: If the above definitions are summarise with most common features we can arrive at definition of people from Slums in Surat. A slum is a basti (locality) where crowded, un/under educated pacharangi (mix) population i.e. coming from other states, speaking various languages, etc., occupied with various types of labour, and having poor economic status, stays together harmoniously with intermittent quarrels and fights in small kutcha hut- like houses, made of (mainly) woods patra (asbestos sheets or old iron material) with uncertain or lack of electric facility, low or no (drinking) water supply low, absence of approach road and pavements within, far off education and health provisions; with many small children playing in the gullies (lanes and sub-lanes), in low hygienic conditions, (“hygiene and cleanliness of the surrounding depends on municipal authority�) comprising a lot of dirt, filth, absence or improper drainage, open gutters; and water coming inside the houses during or floods or monsoon. Photograph 1. A `kutcha house in a slum, Surat The Surat Workshop defined slum as follows: A ‘Slum’ should mean a settlement where health, hygiene, sanitation, and the physical environment are lower than acceptable norms. A ‘slum’ also means under- serviced, high-density settlements devoid of basic amenities and includes hutments, chawls, and unauthorized and illegal settlements of urban poor. Slums usually house migrants and labourers engaged in casual labour, working on daily-wage basis. The people live below the poverty line and have low educational status. The dwelling units are generally less than 25 sq.mt. Per household unit where the plinth may be of RCC while the super structure is largely built out of wooden planks, mud, cloth etc. A locality wherein less than 25% of the settlement is built of RCC may be considered as slum. These communities also do not have security of tenure. A slum could be a locality where the yearly tax assessment is less than Rs. 300. Recognition of Slum According to many slum-dwellers an authorised slum means the area where there is facility of electricity and land is owned by people, while illegal slum means a place where there is no facility of water and electricity and the land is not owned by the households. The group of migrant Maharashtrians from Rasulabad Slum state that those houses who have been given sanad (also called lal patta i.e. a document for ownership of land to the household by municipal corporation) are only recognized ones and those who have not are unrecognised ones, tough they have been given houses, electricity, water, and even tax is collected from them by the municipality. They added that municipal corporation could demolish the houses or slums without sanad. A group of women in Nehrunagar feel that where one gets government benefits is a recognized slum and one where one doesn’t is an unrecognised slum. The migrant Maharashtrian women from Patelwadi added that any slum on private land couldn’t be called a recognized slum. The Surat workshop recommended with a common consensus that slums ought to be recognized by the state government/urban local bodies as an integral part of the society/city and should be provided basic services and amenities for improving the slum dwellers’ quality of life. A slum survey should be undertaken every five years to notify or de-notify slums. All slums in urban areas should be listed, and registered for the provision of essential services and for the up-gradation of their quality of life. State government should provide basic amenities to the slums. Land Tenure The land, according some of our respondent slum-dwellers, is supposed to be provided by Municipal Corporation for purpose of slum. A 'Sanad' i.e. a document showing ownership of land to the household, is considers as rare and prized possession, which is demanded by slum-dwellers from the Corporation. Shobhanaben, from Swami Vivekanandnagar, who is staying there since last 15 years, declares that 'this area is given by SMC to this people for residential purpose'. The land in Sidharthnagar is also owned by Surat Municipal Corporation. In many a slum the dwellers own unequal size of land. The situation in Surat is that most of the slums are encroachment lands; about 50% of them are rented. The dwellers pay monthly rent ranging from Rs. 250-1000/- to touts, illegal owners, and land grabbers. There is no involvement of the local body or even the legal landowner. The land transfer is simply done on a Rs. 10/- Stamp paper. The dweller also has to deposit a large sum of about Rs. 2500/- to 10,000/- to the touts, etc. and even pay for the water charges and electricity connection. The status is not very different in smaller urban areas with the exception that rentals and deposits, etc. are lower. No lease/ title for land is felt necessary by the most workshop participants. They resolved that ‘On assurance of 20 years’ security that the slum y would not be removed without alternate accommodation might be given to those who join slum up-gradation project. An agreement between slum dwellers and ULB, after resolution for assurance, be made and this should be sustainable. The ULB should ensure that they don’t sell the land allotted to them, to others. If the dweller wants to sell the title, a prior permission from the ULB is to be sought. Slums should legal status but no lease/ title for the land. Only super structure should be given on ‘Licensed to Live’ basis for either 10/15/20 years. The same should not be changed with change in local body structure. It should be ensure that they do not sell the land allotted to them, to others.’