[Reader-list] Fw: The Telegraph on slums

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Sent: Friday, September 02, 2005 5:07 PM
Subject: The Telegraph on slums


> The Editor
> The Telegraph
> Calcutta
>
> Dear Sir
>
> I would like to make some clarifications in response to the report
> "Plotting a facelift" in the 'propertt' section of The Telegraph of 2
> September 2005.
>
> The report begins by saying: "They ruin the cityscape and stick out like
> warts as you get closer." This refers to the over 1.5 million basti
> dwellers of Calcutta. For over 4 decades now, an informed and enlightened
> perspective on urban slums has been sought to be propogated by researchers
> and grassroots activists throughout the world. It is unfortunate that
> instead of empathising with the plight of slumdwellers and pressing for
> much-needed policy and institutional reform for improving their quality of
> life, the report refers most derogatorily to these humble citizens who
> help to keep the city ticking.
>
> The report mentions that most slumdwellers are illegal settlers. This
> reveals the complete ignorance of the reporter on basti matters. Bastis
> are informal but legal settlements, and the dwellers are legal tenants.
>
> The proposal to redevelop slum settlements is not a novel one either. In
> 1997, on behalf of the International Institute for Environment &
> Development, London, Calcutta-based architect Manish Chakravarti had
> developed a redevelopment proposal for a basti in Shibpur, Howrah, based
> on the land-sharing principle. This was published in
> the the journal Environment & Urbanization. In 1998, Unnayan, social
> action group in Calcutta, together with another city architect, Devananda
> Chatterji, published a report on comprehensive renewal in the blighted
> canal-side area of Beliaghata city.
>
> What distinguished these proposals was that they were developed with a
> view to empowering slumdwellers. For that to be realised, a redevelopment
> venture cannot be something led by builders, or bureaucrats or
> politicians.
> The greed of promoters and politicians to make a fortune from the land on
> which poor slumdwllers live cannot be the foundation of a successful
> redevelopment programme.
> Redevelopment must be led by an organised, capable, credible, transparent
> body representing the slumdwellers, working in tandem with sensitive
> professionals who understand the importance of harmonising the aspirations
> of all sections of the city. The most important prepartory effort,
> therefore, is to build and develop the capabilities of grassroots
> organisations.
>
> Bastis in Calcutta are hostage to the outdated Thika Tenancy Act. Slum
> land reform, based on the principle of shelter to the dweller (like the
> slogan of "land to the tiller" in rural land reform) is the fundamental
> prerequisite. However that is nowhere on the horizon. But meanwhile, the
> possibility of a wholesome redevlopment of bastis, in favour of dwellers,
> is pre-empted by rampant illegal construction in bastis. This is
> undertaken by an unholy nexus of promoters, politicians, police officials
> and criminals. The worst sufferers of this are the basti dwellers.
>
> Basti dwellers in Calcutta must suffer the ruling establishment that is
> apathetic to the plight of the labouring poor, totally unaccountable for
> its misdeeds, and in cahoots with promoters for mutual gain, violating
> basic tenets of due process and democratic norms. Perhaps it is no
> coincidence that another report on the same day speaks of the
> court-appointed receiver who illegally sold land in east Calcutta to
> promoters. Tackling illegality must begin at the very top.
>
> Viewing slums as an eyesore which much be wiped out, rather than an
> outcome of policy and institutional failure - will only ensure that any
> proposal for slum redevelopment will be antithetical to the dwellers
> rather than empower power.
>
> While Indian elites love to talk about all that they see abroad, they have
> not yet learnt about slum redevelopment in other parts of the world (Asia,
> South America, Europe, USA.) Calcutta lags far behind the world in this
> respect as well.
>
> Yours sincerely
>
> V Ramaswamy
>
> Sitara, B 299 Lake Gardens
> Calcutta 700 045
>
>
>
>