Delhi Slums under 3-D Fire
A disaster is any occurrence that causes damage, ecological disruption, loss of human life, or deterioration of health and health services on a scale sufficient to warrant an extraordinary response from outside the affected community or area. The Slum and informal settlement households are living in poor dwelling conditions. In these settlements, one side congested area forces them to have fire related activities in unsafe conditions. Other side, without Government notification on their legality of living in Slum areas, they are not provided with common living conditions available with other members of society. On top of all ‘the Sword of Eviction’ is seen even during day dreaming by these poor habitants. Their identity linked with residence keeps them and their growing kids in state of inferiority and depression. To mitigate damages by fire-disaster, recovery, rehabilitation, and development efforts require enormous funds that, amidst insufficient contingency funds, are taken out from other development programmes of city that are planned or underway, thereby impeding development efforts. Therefore, it is important that disaster mitigation programmes are made an integral part of developmental programmes of Delhi. At the same time, efforts to enhance the capacities of communities and coping systems at various levels and sectors towards self-reliance and selfsufficiency in managing disasters effectively and must be sustainable. It is immediate requirement to recognise ownership of slum habitants and proper housing is provided to them with government plans.
