Mumbai Environmental Social Network

While the city takes prides in the mega infrastructures in and around the city; the grim living conditions in which more than half of the city's population resides is often sidelined. From the slum settlements along the coastline to the ones settled along the hillock belt between Ghatkoper-Powai, to the resettled colonies near the dumping ground in Deonar; majority of the population lives with crumbling infrastructure. Infrastructure development with regards to drainage and water supply, access ways- pedestrian and vehicular, private and public toilets, waste management are severely crunched.  In spite of these odds the well-known "Mumbai spirit "often shines through some of these settlements. Tight knit neighborhoods  feel safe and secure as one walks through the inner passages of some communities.  Houses are incrementally built as one invests in building a home over a period of 10-15 years.  Well-shaded passages are used as open-space with exten...

SRA developed RR Colony in Gautam Nagar, Govandi was nefarious  for reaching up to epitome of filth. It even took away life of a girl who fell down in garbage accumulated between two buildings and couldn’t survive. The crisis reached up to limit that one or the other member in every family was sick. As soon as MESN intervened into the locality for public space development, we decided to clean all the open spaces. We requested Municipal Corporation to step in for this cause. Asst commissioner Kiran Dighaokar generously came forward to help us and he immediately commissioned task force to clean MMRDA Colony. It took two days, 80 cleaners and several JCB’s to clean and take away enormous amount of garbage. This activity gathered a lot of public attention and earned respect for open spaces.

It was a grueling condition that kids in SRA developed RR Colony in Gautam Nagar , Govandi had no space for playing. The open spaces were so abused due to waste dumping and littering, that children couldn’t come down and play. Residents use to throw dry and wet waste directly in to passages and open ground.  MESN organized a cricket match in Colony campus to show the importance of open spaces which can be utilized for play, if not abused. The event brought lot of enthusiasm in youth. Along with zeal to win we wanted them to realize the availability of space for them. Seeing children utilizing open space also made residents realize not to throw waste over there. Throwing waste in open spaces may hit some kid or will just pollute their space of playing. Such events helped to set good relationship between people and their surrounding space.     

All the filth around S.R.A developed RR Colony Gautam nagar, Govandi were result of lack of Public interest in their surroundings. Any open space around 16 buildings in the colony were suffering abuse and negligence.It was necessary to bring attention of residents towards their locality. We felt kids could be the best agents for change. If we could inspire children to take care of their campus, it will translate some sense to adults also. We hosted painting competition for kids, and asked them to display their creativity on compound and building walls. The theme was cleanliness, colors were provided free, and format was competition to encourage good efforts. We saw lot of enthusiasm among kids and their parents especially mothers’ .The event was so successful that residents demanded one more day at another location .They were delighted to see their work around, surroundings became colorful and strong message was delivered.

The Transformation of abused open spaces in SRA developed RR colony in Gautam Nagar, Govandi into lively colourful Public space is a journey of struggle with everyone for everyone. It is a Rehabilitation and Resettlement site where every individual was lacking sense of belongingness to the open spaces and contributed only in on-going abuse.  In absence of responsibility towards surroundings, the open spaces were becoming waste dumping grounds   attracting diseases .This physical deprivation was leading into social nuisance like drugs, eve teasing, and hooliganism. Kids were not playing, girls couldn’t step out, youth indulging in anti-social activities, residents were helpless living in constant state of insecurity,  MESN decided to intervene here in 2015 and our vision was not limited to bring physical change but a holistic change where residents feel belongingness towards their surroundings. It was a process of asking people to not destroy their surrounding in...

Mumbai has a population of 12.44 million as per census 2011 and 52 Lakh population of that is housed in slums, protected through the slum act. Generally, slums are defined as compact settlements of at least 20 households with a collection of poorly built tenements, crowded, with usually inadequate sanitary and drinking water facilities in unhygienic condition. Slums in  various parts of  Mumbai, vary significantly in density, religious/income mix, and overall availability of infrastructure facilities.              A survey identifying condition of the households was conducted by Indian National census in 2011 for all the households in Mumbai including households in slums. It estimated 26.7 Lakh HH in Mumbai out of which 19.4 Lakh are good for living, 7 .1 Lakh are livable and only 37500 HH are in extremely poor condition. This clearly shows that, over the years slum dwellers have created incremental ...