Plight of slum dwellers

Over the years, slum dwellers living in squalor and in the most unpalatable of circumstances have become a permanent feature of our urban settlements. But for the unfortunate residents of one of Pakistan’s largest slums, Machhar Colony, the conditions have been made even worse by the practice of dumping and stocking large piles of coal by the railway line that runs through the colony. The dust from the coal has quite literally blackened homes and presents a serious health hazard with residents complaining of eye and skin diseases. Experts warn that coal dust deposited in the lungs can set off respiratory conditions, which in some cases can be life-threatening. The residents of Lyari, located next door to Machhar Colony, also suffer and it seems provincial environmental authorities are oblivious to the hazards they face.

One of the reasons for this may be that the affected people are the poorest of the poor, have no voice and no real means to raise their concerns. Others will need to do this for them, for the sake of the people of Karachi, and for the city’s environment. Warnings are already coming in that as the coal deposits grow, the problem could expand into areas like Clifton and DHA.

Quite beyond the threat posed by the dumping of coal is the fact that we conveniently ignore the conditions slum dwellers live in. All across the country, they live without access to clean drinking water, sanitation or the basic necessities of life. The reality is that Karachi is among those of the world’s major cities which have one of the largest percentages of slum dwellers amongst their residents. It is time we took measures to offer these people the protections and the basic rights they need. No one should be forced to live like the millions who inhabit shanty towns located across our cities. They are exposed to new dangers daily and it appears that authorities are turning a blind eye to these and to the fate of a large number of Pakistani citizens.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 9^th,  2015.

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