Baiganwadi’s struggle for dignity: Report highlights neglect and health crises

Baiganwadi a densely populated settlement in M East ward remains caught in a cycle of neglect grappling with severe sanitation issues health crises and crumbling infrastructure A recent report The Politics of Stagnation Development at an Impasse in Baiganwadi coauthored by Tarsh Verma and Saptaparna Samajdar researchers from the Tata Institute of Social Sciences TISS sheds light on these persistent challenges and urges authorities to take immediate actionSamajdar 22 and Verma 24 are firstyear postgraduate students in Media and Cultural Studies at TISS Verma hails from Ghaziabad Uttar Pradesh while Samajdar is from Barrackpore West Bengal Their research reveals that Baiganwadirsquos battle is not just about infrastructure but about the fundamental right to live with dignitySaptaparna Samajdar left and Tarsh Verma the coauthors of the report titled The Politics of StagnationA journey into pastDuring their research in 2024 the duo stumbled upon a 2012 video created by one of their professors as part of the M Ward Oral Histories Project Titled Baiganwadi Sanitation Issue the video highlighted the same problems that persist today While the water supply has improved over the past decade issues such as choked and overflowing drains contaminated water inadequate healthcare facilities and environmental hazards remain unresolvedldquoFor Baiganwadirsquos residents the struggle for justice is far from overrdquo said Samajdar ldquoBut through grassroots efforts legal action and increased public awareness locals continue to fight for the recognition and development they have long been deniedrdquoDespite decades of adversity Baiganwadirsquos residents persist in their fight for basic rights From selfdriven sanitation efforts to legal battles against environmental hazards their resilience remains unwavering NGOs and activists such as Faiyaz Alam Shaikh continue their advocacy using research and legal interventions to highlight the communityrsquos plightFaiyaz Alam ShaikhA history of marginalisationThe report details how Baiganwadi and neighbouring areas like Shivaji Nagar and Govandi have faced systematic neglect for decades Originally developed in the 1970s as relocation sites for displaced slum dwellers these areas were pushed to the marginsmdashboth geographically and administratively Proximity to the Deonar dumping ground turned them into repositories for Mumbairsquos waste both literally and figuratively Over the years the predominantly migrant and Muslim population has been excluded from mainstream development effortsA 2012 video by TISSrsquos School of Media and Cultural Studies featured resident Akbar Ali Khan who lamented that despite BMC ownership of local toilets the burden of maintaining them fell on the community Twelve years later the conditions remain unchangedEveryday strugglesThe researchers highlight how the stench of open drains permeates Baiganwadi making it a breeding ground for diseases Chronic illnesses such as tuberculosis typhoid dengue and respiratory disorders are rampantldquoWe interviewed many healthcare professionals in the areardquo said Verma ldquoDr Rehmat a physician at Rahmania Charitable Trust Hospital identified contaminated water the Deonar dumping ground and emissions from the SMS Envoclean Biomedical Waste Treatment Plant as health hazardsrdquo he addedWhile a government hospital was recently established its inconsistent staffing makes it unreliable The unregistered Rahmania Hospital though a lifeline for the community lacks government support According to an RTI filed by the local NGO Govandi New Sangam Welfare Society M East ward records approximately 5000 tuberculosis cases annually with nearly 1900 TBrelated deaths since 2013Environmental hazardWhile the Deonar dumping ground has long posed an environmental threat the SMS Envoclean Biomedical Waste Treatment Plant has worsened conditions Established in 2009 without environmental clearance or public consultation the plant emits toxic gases that severely impact residentsrsquo respiratory health Despite legal petitions demanding its shutdown the plant remains operational and authorities have yet to finalise its relocation ldquoThe NGO Govandi New Sangam Welfare Society has actively campaigned for its removal filing appeals with the high court and the National Green Tribunalrdquo the report states Activist Faiyaz Shaikh criticised government inaction ldquoDespite assurances no real steps have been taken to relocate the plant Our people continue to sufferrdquoPolitical manipulationThe report underscores how Baiganwadirsquos political landscape is defined by strategic neglect Although some improvementsmdashsuch as piped water supplymdashhave been made in the past decade these are often leveraged during elections Many residents fear that demanding further improvements might jeopardise the limited services they currently receiveBaiganwadi is situated on collectorrsquos land meaning residents lack legal ownership of their homes This precarious status weakens their ability to demand better living conditions as the threat of eviction looms constantly ldquoDespite this most houses have electricity meters yet the bills explicitly state they cannot be used as proof of residencerdquo noted SamajdarSince 2022 the absence of civic elections has left the area under bureaucratic control depriving residents of an elected representative to advocate for their needsResidents speakFaiyaz Alam Shaikh a Shivaji Nagar resident and president of the Govandi New Sangam Welfare Society said ldquoGrowing up in Shivaji Nagar and Govandi we have realised that the area we live in is one of the most neglected in Mumbai Hazardous projects are being set up in our vicinitymdashall of which pose serious health risks We have been raising concerns but neither the BMC nor the state government has given us a hearingrdquo Shaikh saidAnother resident Ateeque Ahmed Khan said ldquoIf this report is exposing the same issues after more than a decade shouldnrsquot the elected representatives and civic officials be held accountable Why is our area still underdeveloped Because it has always been ignored The lack of education a failing healthcare system corruption and the absence of basic necessities like clean water and sanitation continue to persist There should be an audit of all development work undertaken in the past ten years and the findings should be made publicrdquo he demandedKhan further pointed out the poor state of healthcare infrastructure in the arealdquoEight years ago a government hospital was inaugurated here with a budget of Rs 24 crore yet it remains underequipped Emergency cases and even Csections are still referred to Rajawadi Hospital in Ghatkopar or Sion Hospital People here are living in inhumane conditions We are already fighting multiple legal battles just to secure our basic rights but financial constraints limit how much we can doMany in the community are growing weary of this endless strugglerdquo he saidMLA SpeaksAbu Azmi local MLAldquoA lot of work has already been done Over the years my team and I have helped the public as much as possible Today most households have tap water and toilet blocks have increased However slums keep expanding due to encroachments and the government is doing little to stop it As a result many problems are emerging In some areas houses are packed into narrow lanes making it extremely difficult to provide essential facilities Despite these challenges we are doing our best Many people are also trying to connect pipelines illegally which often leads to sewer lines mixing with water supply causing contamination On top of that the absence of civic elections has left residents without corporators to address their issuesrdquo