JAIPUR: The Bhatta Basti slums in the catchment area of Amanisha nullah (river) in Jaipur are “illegal” and the people living there face constant danger from floods.

During the torrential rain on Tuesday night, these slums were inundated
and three people were killed while hundreds were rendered homeless.

Terming these slums in Amanisha nullah catchment areas as illegal,
mayor Jyoti Khandelwal said the government is trying to make Jaipur a
slum-free city. Officials also said the state government is waiting for
Centre’s funds to construct multi-storey buildings to relocated the
people living in slum areas. Unless the Centre releases the funds under
the Rajiv Awaz Yojna, it seems the people will continue to live in areas which are vulnerable to floods and other natural calamities.

“We will start from Sanjay Nagar slum area in Bhatta Basti to relocate
the people into the multi-storey buildins. We have sent the proposal to
construct the building in the area to Centre for seeking funds under
Rajiv Awaz Yojna. Once the funds are approved, we will start work for
constriction of the buildings,” Khandelwal said.

Around 22.4% of
the total population of Jaipur lives in the slum areas. There are over
235 slum areas in the city in which around 4.87 lakh people live. Most
of these slum areas are in low lying areas, which are vulnerable to
natural calamities like floods as in such places, roads are narrow and
it is difficult for the district administration to carry out rescue
work.

In the overnight downpour, not only Bhatta Basti, but also
there are many other slum areas which are located in the low-lying
areas and are illegal have been flooded. The Jaipur Municipal Corporation
admitted that the chances of destruction are more in slum areas in
comparison with other areas. The officials are hopeful that they would
make Jaipur free from slum areas. “The government has formulated an
affordable housing policy to make Jaipur free from slum areas,” a JMC
official said.

The JMC officials claimed that it would take some
time as at many places, slums first have to be destroyed so that at the
same place, buildings can be constructed.