Strengthening Civil Society Voices on Urban Poverty - Zonal Level Consultations

As part of its project “Strengthening Civil Society Voices on Urban Poverty” PRIA has conducted multi-stakeholder zonal level consultations in Jaipur, Rajasthan. The series of three consultations covered all the four zones of Jaipur city. Each consultation focused on a different theme as slum dwellers face a myriad of problems. The consultations gave a common platform to slum dwellers and administrative authorities to connect and dialogue.The second zonal consultation focused on the issue of sanitation. Bhojpura slum and Rajeev Nagar slum fall under the civil line zone. Bhojpura slum is located in Bais Godam which is in the heart of the Jaipur. The slum was formed before the flood in 1980. Muslim and dalit communities reside in the slum. Most slum residents are unemployed. Those who can find work, work as labourers. The slum has 320 families and only 10 per cent of them don’t have land rights. Rajeev Nagar slum is located in Katewanagar near Gujar ki thadi, Sanganer bypass.

PRIA has conducted several awareness drives in these slums under the project in the last two years, along with cluster level meetings, distributing pamphlets giving information on government schemes, and formulation of community groups. As a result, slum dwellers are well aware of government schemes for the urban poor. PRIA’s regular intervention with Jaipur Development Authority (JDA) has generated momentum for the authority to conduct a survey and a survey number has been given to each household.  In Rajeev Nagar basti people are still struggling for patta (land right) while in Bhojpura slum almost all households have got patta.

Along with their community leaders, more than 35 people attended the second consultation. Although the zone commissioner, ward parshad and social development activists were invited to listen to the plight of the urban poor, they did not attend the event.

The third zonal consultation focused on the issue of water supply. J.P colony and Machra slum fall under Vidyadhar Nagar. JP colony sector 1 is located along a major drainage line. It consists of 450 households. There is only one community water tap to support 450 households. As a result there are a lot of disputes among the women. Moreover the water supply line is laid over-ground which frequently cracks due to vehicles passing over it. Machra slum is located on Sikar road near Nindor more. It is a JDA rehabilitated colony. The slum was rehabilitated in 2001 from Kukarkhera and is located almost 15 km from the city’s economic centre, which means the residents have less scope to earn a livelihood. There is no provision for potable water.

Due to PRIA’s regular interventions slum dwellers are familiar with various government schemes for the urban poor and have made all the necessary documents required to access these schemes.

Along with their community leaders, more than 60 people attended the consultation. Community leaders Shahida Begum and Manju Lata Parikh narrated the problems of their people. Although almost all households had got patta, 10% were still struggling for it. The “official” reason for this is that the authorities have misplaced their files!

Unlike the second consultation, the zone commissioner, ward parshad and social development activist did attend this consultation. This was a result of PRIA’s programme officers meeting the CEO of JDA, Mr. J.S Yadav, and requesting him to send the zonal commissioners of the respective slums for interface. Due to pressure from the higher authorities, Ward Parshad Anju Chaudhary attended and listened attentively to the problems of the slum residents. The ward parshad assured them that action would be taken soon to give the remaining households their patta.

These consultations in particular have highlighted how much effort it takes to convince authorities to interface directly with slum dwellers, and the irresponsible and insensitive attitude of the authorities towards urban poverty. It also took much effort to persuade the slum dwellers to attend the consultation, specially those who live in the outskirts of the city