Case Study of Health and Climate Risks in Informal Settlements in Mumbai: a Case of Deonar
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B IN U COM Building Inclusive Urban Communities CASE STUDY OF HEALTH AND CLIMATE RISKS IN INFORMAL SETTLEMENTS IN MUMBAI: A CASE OF DEONAR Mamta Patwardhan – 2017 B IN U COM Building Inclusive Urban Communities CASE STUDY OF HEALTH AND CLIMATE RISKS IN INFORMAL SETTLEMENTS IN MUMBAI: A CASE OF DEONAR Mamta Patwardhan – 2017 Funded by the Erasmus+ Programme of the European Union. The European Commission’s support for the production of this publication does not constitute an endorsement of the content. The Commission cannot be held responsible for any use, which may be made, of the information contained herein. The views expressed in this work and the accuracy of its findings is matters for the author and do not necessarily represent the views of or confer liability on the KRVIA © KRVIA - Kamla Raheja Vidyanidhi Institute of Architecture and Environ- mental Studies. This work is made available under a Creative Commons Attribu- tion 4.0 International Licence: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Contact: Design Cell KRVIA - Kamla Raheja Vidyanidhi Institute of Architecture and Environmental Studies, Mumbai, India. Email: [email protected] Website: www.krvia.ac.in 2 CASE STUDY OF HEALTH AND CLIMATE RISKS IN INFORMAL SETTLEMENTS IN MUMBAI: A CASE OF DEONAR ABSTRACT The vulnerability of urban areas and more so Thomas Hobbes, in his book, “The Leviathan,” informal settlements is augmented by the rapid pace describes life in the natural state as being “short, of urbanization coupled with the ever-increasing nasty and brutish”. These existential conditions, population burden. In Mumbai this vulnerability of unfortunately, have become ‘natural’ and routine the informal settlements is most acute and greatly for the marginalized population in Mumbai - its compounded by the location of these communities swelling ranks lured by Mumbai’s livelihood oppor- that is often determined by their relative proximity tunities but cast aside in the concomitant planning to livelihood, on neglected, marginalized spaces in and governance challenges. the city such as coastal zones, flood prone areas and geologically unsafe slopes, as well as proximity to This Case Study of the communities living in dump yards, slaughter houses etc. informal slums (Aadarsh Nagar, a neighbourhood in Deonar), occupying marginal low-lying land Moreover, such populations are subjected to a wide adjacent to the dump-yard, examines how these gamut of health risks arising due to an absence of harsh existential conditions are being exacerbated planning and provisions of basic services by the through environmental forces (driven by climate respective institutions. And hence the marginalized change) like flooding, water logging and urban areas coupled with a poor institutional and munic- heat island effects, and specifically aims to establish ipal framework, creates certain conditions which an interlink between climate change and health. entrap the poorest citizen in a cycle of despair. Further, it seeks to design some planning solutions that can play an important role in ameliorating the These conditions alone do not attribute to an upsurge severe health outcomes suffered by Mumbai’s mar- in risk levels. Natural hazards driven by Climate ginalized, forgotten population. Change impacts result in the marginalized commu- nities exacerbated vulnerability towards health risks and life. Impoverished and migrant population are more vulnerable to the impacts of climate change such as extreme rainfall events, flooding and water logging, increase in summer temperatures or the “ This Case Study examines urban heat island effect. how existential conditions are being exacerbated through environmental forces and specifically aims to establish an interlink between climate change and health.” 3 CASE STUDY OF HEALTH AND CLIMATE RISKS IN INFORMAL SETTLEMENTS IN MUMBAI: A CASE OF DEONAR CONTENTS Abstract 3 Glossary of term 5 Abbreviations 7 PART 1 8 Research Objectives 8 Research questions 8 Methodology 8 Outline of this report 9 PART 2 Urban Poor, Climate Change and Health 10 Rapid urbanization and the creation of urban poor 10 Climate change and health 11 Urban climate hazards in the context of India and Mumbai 12 Mumbai: an expeditiously growing mega-city 12 Projected climate change impacts in Mumbai 12 Floods 13 Heat 15 PART 3 Case study: Deonar (Aadarsh Nagar) 16 Man Made Hazard 17 Impact of Urban Development on settlements at Deonar 17 Site Conditions 20 Layout and density of dwellings 21 Lack of Basic Services and their relation with health issues: 21 Drinking water and Toilets 21 Environment Quality 23 Health Care Centre 26 PART 4 Results 27 Gap between Planning and Health (A Review of Literature) 39 Discussion and Concluding Remarks 40 References 41 Acknowledgements 43 Author’s Biography 43 4 OF HEALTH AND CLIMATE RISKS IN INFORMAL SETTLEMENTS IN MUMBAI: A CASE OF DEONAR GLOSSARY OF TERM GLOSSARY OF TERM The following terms have been explained within the context of the site. (Adapted from 2009 UNISDR Terminology on Disaster Risk Reduction) Acceptable risk Climate Change The risk of extensive damage to the dwelling in case of An evident increase in extreme rainfall events and fire from the dump yard and extreme rainfall events, storm surges in the city. Evidence supported by as well as loss of life and aggravation of health issues Adam Sobel’s study, “Tropical Cyclone and Storm during these events that the inhabitants consider an Surge Risk to Mumbai.” inherent part of staying at the dump yard. Coping capacity Affected There is inadequate response to cope with the People who are affected directly or indirectly by repetitive occurrence of disasters. The community extreme rainfall events that cause water logging collectively works to assist disaster-affected people. and flooding in the BMC declared flood prone area of M-East ward. Also, people who have suffered Critical infrastructure permanent respiratory damage (consequences) due The insufficient provision of clean drinking water, to proximity to the dump yard. sanitation facilities, health infrastructure and evac- uation plans. Adaptive capacity The ability of the community to adapt and recover Disaster from adverse health conditions arising from water Hazardous events like extreme rainfall events, logging and flood situations. extreme heat as well as fires at the dump yard that cause serious loss of live, livelihood and aggravation Anthropogenic of water borne, vector borne, air borne diseases Appalling and hazardous conditions resulting from (disruption of the functioning of the community). choice of livelihood (dump yard) and unplanned and unchecked growth (proximity to livelihood) Disaster risk that are cause for further flood risks in the area. The potential loss of life, livelihood or damage to health, monetary loss and destruction or damage to Build back better physical assets during and after the period of dis- There is an absence of any formal or informal means aster determined by the analytical framework that of building back better. Socio- economic inequities includes risk, vulnerability and exposure. handicap the ability to piece together their dwell- Climate change adaption is embedded within or is ings post disaster. The financial set back received one aspect of disaster risk reduction. DRR addresses amounts to around 5 years of savings. the issue at the core while CCA is one tool to assist with DRR. Building code A new risk-based land use plan drawn up setting the Disaster risk assessment standards based on which the affected area will be Review of assessment of prevailing disaster risk in re-planned and redesigned. the area. 5 OF HEALTH AND CLIMATE RISKS IN INFORMAL SETTLEMENTS IN MUMBAI: A CASE OF DEONAR GLOSSARY OF TERM Disaster risk governance Resilience The system of institutions, mechanisms, policy and The matter of fact way in which the inhabitants legal frameworks and other arrangements to guide accept the risks they live with and attempt to best coordinate and oversee disaster risk reduction and keep their lives safe. related areas of policy. Risk assessment Disaster risk management Graphical tool developed to ascertain the levels of Disaster risk management is the application of dis- possible impact of disaster in terms of the spatial aster risk reduction policies and strategies to prevent distribution of the damage. new disaster risk, reduce existing disaster risk and manage residual risk, contributing to the strength- Risk based land use planning ening of resilience and reduction of disaster losses. Development of land use plans addressing zoning, layout, type of materials, size and design of dwell- Disaster risk reduction strategies and policies ings. (World Bank 2012, Building Urban Resilience: Adaptive strategies that translate to policy inter- Managing the Risk of Disasters in East Asia and the ventions and an action plan that helps build social, Pacific) health, infrastructural, economic and environmen- tal resilience. Urban upgrading Prioritizes infrastructure for the most vulnerable Geographic Information System (GIS) populations living in slum settlements. (World Bank Graphical maps used to analyse concentration of 2012, Building Urban Resilience: Managing the Risk risks of Disasters in East Asia and the Pacific) Residual risk The chronic respiratory ailments that the inhabit- ants are infected with and the aggravation of water borne diseases during extreme rainfall conditions 6 OF HEALTH AND CLIMATE RISKS IN INFORMAL SETTLEMENTS IN MUMBAI: A CASE OF DEONAR ABBREVIATIONS ABBREVIATIONS ACCCRN