Urbanization is hazardous to human health Essay

Essay on Urbanization is hazardous to human health for Class 12, Mains Exam (UPSC, PSC, SSC)

Urbanization is hazardous to human health Essay : Urbanization refers to the phenomenon of human populations shifting into specific distinguished  areas in urban centres. The mass transfer from rural to urban areas  result in the conversion of land for familial, economical, commercial and logistical purposes. Urbanization has long been associated with human development and progress but recent studies state that the process of urbanization can also lead to significant inequalities and health problems.  The growth of industries and residential areas has resulted in the growth of pollution-related deaths to 7% from 2015 to 2019.

Discussion

35% of India’s population lives in urban areas accounting for around 48 crore people who dwell in urban areas. Public facilities such as housing, sanitation, transport, electricity, and water necessary for maintaining health are contaminated or cause pollution. The major problems of urbanization are:

i) Overcrowding: The condition occurs when more people are dwelling in cramped spaces that threaten the safety of human beings from a health and sanitation point of view. The COVID-19 pandemic situation worsened due to the inability of people dwelling in urban centres didn’t manage to maintain proper social distancing. For instance, the Government survey of India reports state that the rate of covid-19 infections in Urban areas was 65.4% while in rural and semi-urban areas the rates were 18.5% and 16.1% respectively.

Other diseases such as dengue and malaria occur due to stagnant water and poor drainage systems.

ii) Slums and other ill-developed settlements; Most immigrants from rural to urban areas end up living in slums. The majority of the urban population lives in unhygienic and unsanitary conditions. According to the World Bank, the population living in slums in India was reported at 35.2% of the total urban population in 2018. The slums are breeding grounds for waterborne diseases such as malaria. Dharavi of Mumbai is considered to be the largest slum in Asia.

iii) Degradation of environmental quality: The presence of a huge population in cities requires a host of facilities such as residential places, public transport and industries. Deforestation occurs on a large scale to ensure these utilities result in air and water pollution. The rate of pollution in India has risen to 51%.

iv) Sewerage problems: Due to rapid urbanization, the unplanned and unorganized growth of cities has led to ineffective drainage systems. In fact, most cities do not have fully developed sewerage systems or lack the arrangements for properly disposing of waste. The government of India states that 78% of wastes are disposed off to the water bodies untreated.

Conclusion

To conclude, urbanization is inherently not a problem for it is a sign of development and the modern way civilization works. However, unsustainable and unplanned urbanization is certain to create health and sanitary problems. Every urban centre needs to go through scientific planning to counter the anticipated problems.

FAQs

Q1. What percentage of India’s population resides in urban centres and their requirements?

Ans:35% of India’s population lives in urban areas accounting for around 48 crore people who dwell in urban areas. Public facilities such as housing, sanitation, transport, electricity, and water that are necessary for maintaining health are contaminated or cause pollution.

Q2. What problems do the slums of India pose?

Ans: Slums and other ill-developed settlements; Most immigrants from rural to urban areas end up living in slums. The majority of the urban population lives in unhygienic and unsanitary conditions. According to the World Bank, the population living in slums in India was reported at 35.2% of the total urban population in 2018. The slums are breeding grounds for waterborne diseases such as malaria. Dharavi of Mumbai is considered to be the largest slum in Asia.

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Updated: December 8, 2022 — 11:43 am

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