Introduction
Sustainable development has become one of the major concerns in the modern world due to its holistic approach that includes economic progress, environmental conservation, and social considerations. However, slums have emerged in various parts of the world despite the fact that they promote environmental degradation, poor economic progress and social afflictions in the society. As such, this paper will focus on the challenges incurred in Asian slums and specifically India where the population is very high whereas the economic development is very low. Guiding factors of Development of Sustainable Agenda in Real Estates
Life in the slums is not sustainable due to the critical afflictions that emerge as a result of environmental degradation, financial incapability and negative social aspects that bedevil the residents. As such a sustainability agenda must be conceived in relation to various aspects. First, the development of slums must be conducted with the aim of creating a clean and pollution-free environment. In essence, any development that is conducted must be in such a way that it does not contravene with environmental fitness. Second, the transformation of slums should focus on ensuring that the residents’ healthcare system and the health as a whole are improved. As such, the transformation should focus on reducing morbidity and the mortality rate of the residents. Thirdly, the transformation of slums should be conducted with the aim of creating a sustainable economy among the residents. In this regard, it must strike a balance between the aspects of social satisfaction and financial capability of the residents (Aarons 94; Kotchen 818). This can be achieved by using renewable energy, applying green technology and architecture among other strategies. In addition, Good governance is a key element to the transformation of slums and the maintenance of sustainable development in a society (Bai 847). It takes good governance to consider the residents’ sociology, economic transformation and environmental awareness simultaneously. Further, a holistic development of the slums in India must follow sound scientific research studies and findings. The agenda must be evaluated empirically to determine whether the various strategies that have been put in place are viable. In principle, they should not have negative implications to the environment, people’s interactions or financial capabilities. Lastly, since the transformation of the slums require contributions of multiple personnel that include government officials, environmentalists and the residents, it is important to conceive initiatives that mobilize the relevant people to take action. Essentially, the initiatives should be directed to the people with less interest and knowledge on the importance of sustainable agenda such as the residents.Sustainability Policy Initiatives
After transforming the Indian slums, the government should stipulate policies that guide the residents in order to ensure that the areas do not degrade once again. For example, the authorities can elect dustbins and direct all the residents to put the garbage in those bins. Failure to comply with those rules lead to a penalty that can help to keep order and sustain sustainability. Additionally, the government should stipulate and implement policies regarding the construction material used in slums. For example, the use of iron sheets should be banned to ensure that residents do not expose themselves to potential injuries. In addition, they should control the use of tree-based products that may degrade the forests by necessitating the cutting of trees. Moreover, the sewage is a crucial aspect when it comes to the sustainable development in slums. As a result, the authorities should employ people in charge of the sewage disposal system and stipulate policies that inform their operations. Besides the sewage-related aspects, the authorities should stipulate policies that facilitate the installation of technological facilities such as electricity, DSTV and internet connection among other. Indeed, these are very crucial aspects when it comes to the modern world where the technology has become vastly applicable and dynamic. This should be reinforced by the stipulation of occupancy policies to govern the population. In this regard, since the congestion of residents in the slums is a critical challenge to the sociology of those people, the authorities should put policies that govern the number of people who can occupy a single building. As such, the competition for resources will be reduced significantly and hence social progress. Lastly, the Indian government should monitor the spacing of the houses in the slums. This will further contribute to ensuring that the congestion is reduces as illustrated in the previous paragraph.Problem in Indian Slums and Possible Solutions
- The residents earn low income due to lack of opportunities
- Education is retarded sue to the lack of schooling institutions in the slums.
- There is congestion of people in Indian slums that cause competition of resources and insufficiency (Gallin 447).
- The level of immorality such as prostitution and robbery is very high dues to idle youths and low financial income.
While solving the issues raised, health facilities should be provided to ensure of morbidity and controlled mortality. In addition, the authorities should provide clean water, dispose sewage well, and ensure removal of stagnant water. This should be reinforced by ensuring that the slums are upgraded by stipulating polices that allow sufficient spacing and reasonable house occupancy (Nizami 357). When it comes to security, the slums should be provided with at least one police camp to ensure that law and order is maintained. In addition, the government should provide education to young people living in the slums as well as provide the employment opportunities for them.
Conclusion
It has been established that slums pose a great challenge to the economic, social, and health needs of the residents. As such, it is crucial to implement some strategies that help to eliminate these challenges. Some of these strategies include the proper sewage disposal, provision of schooling facilities, and the construction of health facilities among others.
Works Cited
Aarons, Rebecca. "Green Building." Local Economy 22.1 (2007): 92-97. Print.
Bai, Pei. “Governance Models, Income Distribution and Sustainable Development.” Advanced Materials Research 204.1 (2011): 1910-1914. Print.
Gallin, Joshua. The long-run relationship between house prices and rents, Washington, D.C: Divisions of Research & Statistics, 2004. Print.
Kotchen, Matthew, “Green Markets and Private Provision of Public Goods.” Journal of Political Economy 114.4 (2006): 816-834. Print.
Nizami, Saba. Rehabilitation of slums in urban areas: challenges and experiences, Hyderabad: Icfai University Press, 2008. Print.
