 The first Monday in the month of October is observed as World Habitat Day every year. The call for such an observance was made by the United Nations to draw people’s attention towards human habitats all over the world. While millions across the globe live under inhuman conditions, not many seemed to be touched by their plight. Today, on World Habitat Day 2010, let us take a walk down Dharavi, Asia’s largest slum.
If you were to study the lives of the people living in this area, you would probably sink into depression for days together following your enthusiastic endeavor. You will find tiny dwellings made of polythene, asbestos sheets, wooden panels, and a few bricks asymmetrically strewn all about the place. Just maneuvering past the roads is nothing less than an adventure with open manholes, giant potholes, and mounds of garbage anywhere and everywhere.
This is certainly a place where you can’t help but realize that humans are social animals because these underprivileged individuals live along with their animals, just like them, except for one difference – they’re clad whilst their pets aren’t. Even this difference fails to exist if you go by in the wee hours of the morning when both man and animal both answer their call of nature in the state of nature. These people aren’t exhibitionists. It’s just that they don’t have any lavatories in their houses and even the public toilets are too few to accommodate so many people.
It is really unfortunate that in spite of mankind’s progress, a large section of humanity yet struggles for the basic necessities – food, shelter, and clothing. Charity is definitely not the solution for those who are capable of fending for themselves. The aim should be to get them on their feet so as to earn at least the bare minimum required for a simple life. A brick or stone walled structure with a roof that can keep out the rains and protect against extreme temperatures is a fundamental need. It is time for us to step out of our high-rises and do our bit to improve the lives of others.
Related posts:
- World Sight Day 2010
- World Science Day for Peace and Development 2010
- International Day for Abolition of Slavery 2010
- World Toilet Day 2010
- World Meatless Day 2010
Tags: Animal, Asbestos Sheets, Basic necessities, Bricks, Call of nature, Charity, Clothing, Depression, Dharavi, Exhibitionists, Extreme temperatures, Food, Garbage, Lavatories, Man, Manholes, Monday, October, Polythene, Potholes, Progress, Public toilets, Rains, Shelter, Slum, United Nations, Wooden panels, World Habitat Day 2010
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