Delhi: The Megacity

One of the major problems faced by Delhi is poverty. Like many other mega cities, Delhi has a significant proportion of its population living in slums. An estimated 2.6 million people are forced to live in huts made from mud, reeds, plastic sheeting, stitched cloth and anything else that is available. The people who live in these huts are constantly exposed to stagnant water, floods, rubbish and air pollution. Access to clean, safe water is extremely limited.

The problem of slums is not only a problem in Delhi, but rather all over India. Over 250 million people in India live below the poverty line, or about a quarter of the Indian population.

Rural-urban migration is a problem that the Delhi government will need to scrutinize a lot more closely over the next few decades. Because over ¼ of India’s population is poor

Natural Problems

Delhi is positioned just north of the tropic of Cancer. Being so close to the equator, during summer Delhi frequently suffers from heat waves. The waves can last anywhere from 1 day to 2 weeks with temperatures hitting up to 47 degrees Celcius. This intense heat for prolonged periods of time kills thousands of people every year.

This problem is significantly amplified by poor insulation in the houses of Delhi. As you can see in the climate graph, average maximum temperatures in May are 48 degrees. Like a car sitting in the sun, these houses can heat up to a lethal 60 degrees, easily enough to kill anyone under an hour.

Government Strategies (solutions)

Solving man-made problems

One of the major man-made problems is poverty. An estimated 250 million people in India live on about $1 a day. The result of this is masses of people being malnourished and although charity organisations are working hard, the problem lies much deeper. Many people simply cannot afford to be educated and those who can go overseas due to higher wages. This means that economical growth is severely stunted and the cycle repeats. If the Delhi government wishes to fix this problem I would firstly recommend the installment of a workplace agreement, much like that recently imposed in Australia. This would not only increase economical growth in the long run, but also encourage more people to stay working in Delhi, decreasing unemployment. This can be seen in the diagram.

Solving natural problems

The solution to Delhi’s heat wave problem is simple to fix. Although the sun cannot be controlled to emit certain amounts of heat, the way we keep it off ourselves can be. If simple building codes were brought into practice, the amount of deaths due to heat-related circumstances could be heavily reduced. With sufficient insulation and ventilation in the homes of Delhi, heat could easily be dispersed, unlike the current houses which cause a greenhouse effect.