Abstract
India has more than one billion people who live in different ecological, social and cultural regions. Providing safe water and improved sanitation to such a large and diverse population is a challenge. Socio-economic development, education, poverty, awareness, and practice of rituals add to the complexity of providing water and sanitation; and consequent to good health of people. Around 5 million people die due to waterborne diseases annually. More than 1.5 million children are estimated to die of diarrhoea alone each year in India. In developing countries, some 2.6 billion people invest a significant proportion of their household time or money in securing drinking water or a private space to defecate. Over 9 % of the global disease burden could be prevented by better management of water, that is, supply, conservation and sanitation. Water is fundamental to addressing diarrhoea, cholera, malaria control, Guinea worm eradication; and non-communicable conditions such as fluorosis, arsenicosis, hydration-related effects and exposure to modern pollutants. Public health perspective in water management provides opportunities to improve population health and reduce costs. Accessing drinking water continues to be a problem for more than 32 % households even today in India. Despite an estimated total of Rs. 1,105 billion spent on providing safe drinking water since the First Five Year Plan was launched in 1951, lack of safe and secure drinking water continues to be a major economic burden. In 2000 water quality monitoring was accorded a high priority. The Government of India launched the National Rural Drinking Water Quality Monitoring and Surveillance Programme (NRWQMSP) in February 2006. This paper endeavours to examine the status of water supply to the vulnerable populations in the slums of Delhi and the challenges involved between different stakeholders on water management. It includes the quality of water supplied and events of illnesses with probable association to water quality.
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Notes
- 1.
Urbanization is a process people are living in a particular environment and majority of the population are engaged in less agricultural activities.
- 2.
A Slum, for the purpose of Census, has been defined as residential areas where dwellings are unfit for human habitation by reasons of dilapidation, overcrowding, faulty arrangements and design of such buildings, narrowness or faulty arrangement of street, lack of ventilation, light, or sanitation facilities or any combination of these factors which are detrimental to the safety and health (Census 2011).
- 3.
JnNRUM-Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission, The aim is to encourage reforms and fast track planned development of identified cities. Focus is to be on efficiency in urban infrastructure and service delivery mechanisms, community participation, and accountability of ULBs/ Parastatal agencies towards citizens (MUD 2011).
- 4.
As per the National Sample Survey (NSS) 69th Report based on Key Indicators of Drinking Water, Sanitation, Hygiene and Housing Condition in India (NSSO 2013). http://mospi.nic.in/mospi_new/upload/kye_indi_of_water_Sanitation69rou_24dec13.pdf.
- 5.
As per the National Sample Survey (NSS) 69th Report based on Key Indicators of Drinking Water, Sanitation, Hygiene and Housing Condition in India (NSSO 2013). http://mospi.nic.in/mospi_new/upload/kye_indi_of_water_Sanitation69rou_24dec13.pdf.
- 6.
As per the concern of Department of Law, Justice and Legislative Affairs “Safai Karamchari” means a person engaged in, or employed for, assisting in disposal of human excreta, or any sanitation work (DLJ&LA 2006).
- 7.
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is a national political party of India.
- 8.
The government of India implemented a scheme for total sanitation programme both urban and rural areas.
- 9.
Delhi Jal Board is responsible for production of water in Delhi and its distribution in the area under the control of Municipal Corporation of Delhi. The Board also supplies water in bulk to N.D.M.C. and Delhi Cantonment. Besides, the Board is responsible for collection, treatment and disposal of sewage in Delhi http://delhi.gov.in/wps/wcm/connect/d38fb2804ff1fee7bf28bfd9d1b46642/Water+Supply+WU89.pdf?MOD=AJPERES&lmod=-336682211&CACHEID=d38fb2804ff1fee7bf28bfd9d1b46642 Accessed on 13/9/2014.
- 10.
As per the 2011 census “All notified areas in a town or city notified as ‘Slum’ by State, UT Administration or Local Government under any Act including a ‘Slum Act’ (Census 2011) https://www.google.co.in/?gfe_rd=cr&ei=34GRVOSDNY_V8geT04CQBg#q=definition+of+slum+as+per+census+2011”.
- 11.
As per the 2011 census Identified Slum is a “A compact area of at least 300 population or about 60–70 households of poorly built congested tenements, in unhygienic environment usually with inadequate infrastructure and lacking in proper sanitary and drinking water facilitie (Census 2011) https://www.google.co.in/?gfe_rd=cr&ei=34GRVOSDNY_V8geT04CQBg#q=definition+of+slum+as+per+census+2011”.
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Lenka, A.K., Patra, G.B. (2017). Water and Sanitation and Public Health Issues in Delhi. In: Acharya, S., Sen, S., Punia, M., Reddy, S. (eds) Marginalization in Globalizing Delhi: Issues of Land, Livelihoods and Health. Springer, New Delhi. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-81-322-3583-5_22
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