A slum is an area of a city where the living conditions are bad; households are overcrowded and not in good condition at all, resulting in an unhygienic and undesirable environment. Â It is a poverty-associated area that is densely populated, and the quality of life is very poor. The situation in slums gets even worse in monsoon season.
Heavy rains cause waterlogging, which in turn gives birth to several mosquitoes and waterborne diseases that are hazardous to the health of the residents living there.
These rains are only beautiful for the people who have their own homes to enjoy the view, but for the people living in slum areas, it is another challenge in their already difficult lives. As we all know, slums are not made up of bricks or stones; they are mostly made up of plastic, cardboard, tin, etc.; basically, materials that cannot withstand heavy rainfall, and thus the water seeps inside the homes through leaks and also in the form of sewage, giving restless nights to the poor residents.
There are endless troubles for the residents of slums, such as their congested living conditions, which pave the way to more difficulties due to the rains. The living quarters are overcrowded, resulting in poor ventilation, increased humidity, and the rapid spread of diseases such as dengue or malaria. Also, another major problem the slums face is the shortage of fresh water, resulting in their struggle for drinking, cooking, and sanitation. Sometimes they run out of options and have to drink contaminated water, which leads to their demise or poor wellness.
Sadly, in our society, the authorities do not pay attention to the slum conditions in these situations, and they are getting worse every day, especially with this weather. There are multiple measures to make life better for the residents. The simplest of which is that the authorities should start by investing in the redevelopment and rebuilding of slums and proper drainage systems. This will greatly help the people residing in the slums to better survive the monsoon season.