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family members can be accommodated in the same building. These flats also had 14-foot high
ceilings and a single tall window so are well ventilated, bright, and less dependent on electric fans
for cooling. Their loft spaces add extra room without seeming crowded, and include small spaces for
bathing. But toilets are placed at the end of each of the buildings four floors, and kept clean by the
two or three families who use each one. These ideas only work when water is running in Dharavi.
Architecture students have also been hard at work. One student has created a multi-storey building
with wide outer corridors connected by ramps space ways in the sky, to replicate the street. These
space ways allow various activities to be linked, such as garment workshops, while maintaining a
secluded living space on another. Communal open space on various levels allows women to preserve
an afternoon tradition, getting together to do embroidering.
One student also tried to help the potters of Dharavi. He designed into existing houses the living
space at one end and a place to make the pots at the other. Each has an additional open terrace on
which to make pots, which are fired in a community kiln.
As the National Slum Dwellers Federation has repeatedly proven, housing the poor works best, costs
less and is better for the environment, when the poor themselves have a say in what is being built.
Dharavi could also follow the Brazilian model, as evidenced in Rocinha in Rio de Janeiro. Within the
Favelas the government has assisted people in improving their homes. Breeze blocks and other
materials (pipes for plumbing etc) were given as long as people updated their homes. This is an
approach known as SITE and SERVICE.
The Brazilian government also moved a lot of people out of shanty towns and into low cost, basic
housing estates with plumbing, electricity and transport links. The waiting list for these properties
was huge.
Redevelopment Strategies
A $2billion development project threatens the recycling district and part of Dharavi. The land
upon which Dharavi is built is next to Mumbais financial district. This makes it a prime target
for redevelopment. The people who are relocated will be put into smaller housing in apartment
blocks. An ancient fishing village is also threatened. These areas have strong safe
neighbourhoods that have low crime and communal areas. Also at risk are the local shops and
markets and the community spirit which has taken generations to develop. The locals would
prefer small improvements to the existing slum such as improvements in drainage. The value of
land is so high that redevelopment is now a real threat. The alternative accommodation is very
small.
The slum dwellers face 14 story apartments as accommodation as proposed by the cities Slum
Rehabilitation Authority. This will separate communities and make people work away from where
they live. Only people who have lived in the slum since 2000 will be relocated. Current
redevelopment projects are densely populated and house lots of people. They are not good for
community cohesion. Indeed, the planned redevelopment is part of the Maharashtra state
governments plan for Dharavi. The architect employed to put together a $2 billion bid from
major developers across the world to demolish Dharavi and build homes and amenities, Mukesh
Mehta, has said Dharavi is a black hole something we should be ashamed of. My vision would be
The residents do not want this redevelopment, Arputham Jockin grew up in Mumbai's slums and
now represents the slum dwellers in their fight against the government's plans. Selling this land
to the global market and giving it over for commercial use - how will that improve our lives? 90%
of the people here want a stake in their future and a say in how it is transformed. It has to
work from the bottom up - not top down. he says. As of 2012 no progress had been made with
the plans.
The Copenhagen Conference of 2009 had limited success. A motion was passed at the end
of the conference to recognise the following deal which was brokered by President Obama
with the leaders of China, India, Brazil and South Africa:
there would be no legally binding agreement to reduce carbon emissions
there is a need to limit global temperatures rising to no more than 2oC above preindustrial levels
that developed countries promise to deliver $30bn of aid to developing nations over the
next three years, and have set a goal of mobilising jointly $100bn a year by 2020 to address
the needs of developing countries in coping with the impacts of climate change
the emerging nations (China, India, Brazil and South Africa) should monitor their own
efforts to reduce carbon emissions and report to the UN every two years, with some
additional international checks on progress
various approaches will be pursued regarding carbon markets and carbon trading