An Introduction to Environmental Challenges of Life in Slum Settlements of Tabriz

Mirsaeed Moosavi +

Department of Architecture, Tabriz Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tabriz, Iran

Abstract. In recent years, almost all of the urban problems including poverty have been converging into environmental issues and among different aspects of urban life leading to environmental issues, informal or slum settlements have been much more problematic. Now, environmental health issues are some of the most visible symptoms of the challenges facing informal and slum settlements. Sprawling slums, litter and polluted waterways are prevalent in most urban slums, and health and development statistics quantify in some detail the massive impact of this situation on the quality of life of the population. In this paper, environmental problems of slum and informal settlements in Tabriz, a city in north east Iran, will be introduced and analyzed.

Keywords: environment, life, slum, settlement

1. Introduction Slum and informal settlements along with planning and management deficiencies severely affect the city’s livability and environmental quality. The slum and the related informal settlement problem accumulated overtime and created a daunting task of urban renewal. It made development works next to impossible by posing complex environmental, social, economical and spatial challenges. The current environmental quality, especially inside the any slum, is degraded as it is difficult even to provide basic water supply and sanitary services [1]. Poor environmental conditions in such areas lead to poor health, which aggravates poverty and often results in lower educational levels, as well as loss of income owing to sickness, disease, and increased spending on health care, which may deplete household savings. Poverty prevents people from moving to safer areas or investing in improved environments where they live. On the other hand, environmental problems exacerbate urban poverty and poor cities and poor neighborhoods suffer disproportionately from inadequate water and sanitation facilities and indoor air pollution. Poor people living in slum are often forced to live in environmentally unsafe areas, steep hillsides and flood plains or polluted sites near solid waste dumps, open drains and sewers, and polluting industries.

2. Slum Settlements in Tabriz

2.1. Tabriz Tabriz, a city in northwest of Iran and the capital of East Azarbaijan province it is fourth largest city in Iran. Situated at an altitude of 1,350 meters at the junction of the Quri River and Aji River, it was the second largest city in Iran until the late 1960s, one of its former capitals, and residence of the crown prince under the Qajar dynasty. The city has proven extremely influential in the country’s recent history. Tabriz is located in a valley to the north of the long ridge of the volcanic cone of Sahand mountain, south of the Eynali mountain range. The valley opens out into a plain that slopes gently down to the northern end of Lake Urmia, 60 km to the west. With cold winters and temperate summers the city is considered to be a suitable summer resort for inhabitants of adjacent regions.

+ Tel.: +989141141761; fax: +984115573373 E-mail address: msmoosavi@iaut.ac.ir

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2011 2nd International Conference on Humanities, Historical and Social Sciences IPEDR vol.17 (2011) © (2011) IACSIT Press, Singapore

Tabriz has a semi-arid climate with regular seasons and the annual precipitation is around 380 millimeters (15 in), a good deal of which falls as snow during the winter months and rain in spring and autumn. The city enjoys mild and fine climate in spring, dry and semi-hot in summer, humid and rainy in autumn and snowy cold in winter. The average annual temperature is 13oC and cool winds blow from east to west mostly in summer. Like other populated cities in developing world, Tabriz has experienced the phenomenon of rapid urban growth leading to formation of informal and slum settlements in peripheral zones of the city. This city has always been considered to be one of major political, cultural and economic poles of Iran; a unique position making the city much more vulnerable to problems arising from unplanned urban growth.

Fig. 1: A map of Iran showing location of Tabriz.

2.2. Characterization of Informal Settlements in Tabriz There exists different zones of informal and slum settlements in Tabriz. Informal settlements of Tabriz

vary in their ages and origins as well as their ethnic mix-up. Most of these areas are the result of illegal subdivision and selling of the agricultural lands but some others, like some parts of the settlement in northern edge of city, have rural nuclei that have been growing over time and were subsequently absorbed by the city. In terms of socio-economic circumstances, the dwellers of low-income settlements in Tabriz are facing high rates of underemployment and addiction which enforce each other. This problem however should be seen from a broader view, where the attractiveness of tertiary sector as the dominant job market for immigrants causes a quick increase in the low-income population of the area. Because of the weak economical structure, this population can not find job in the formal sector and hence evolve in low-skilled informal and sometimes illegal activities. The resulted job insecurity and low earnings in general, leave the urban poor with no choice of affordable shelter except informal housing which push them into a vicious circle of poverty. Illegality or lack of tenure is a key feature of urban squatter settlements. Threats and fear of eviction are commonplace. Resettlement schemes rarely work, because the old land often is convenient to work opportunities in the center city, and new areas tend to be farther out on the periphery. Another feature of urban poverty is overcrowding, with several families crammed into a single room. Diseases, such as tuberculosis and measles, spread rapidly under such living conditions.

2.3. Informal Settlements in Northern Edge of Tabriz Among different slum settlements in Tabriz, the zone in northern edge of the city is more significant. This zone with a population of more than 250000 is the most considerable slum area in the city and is characterized by socio-economic, environmental and even political problems. Due to its history and the unique topographic condition, this zone is completely different with other slum zones of Iran and even Tabriz. Rapid urbanization and uneven urban development are causes, among others, that continually contribute to the existence of slums in urban margins of Tabriz which as a mega-urban growth center, also faces the difficult problem of poverty alleviation within its slum areas. The restricted purchasing power due to inflation, rising prices of daily necessities such as food and fuel, and continuously worsening environmental conditions in slum areas makes it very difficult for poor people in the slums of Tabriz to improve their homes and immediate environments on their own. Such a situation is very likely to create new pockets of poverty in the city. Figures below show an overall view of the slum and informal settlements in northern margin of Tabriz.

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Fig. 2,3: An overview to informal and slum settlements in northern edge of Tabriz.

3. Environmental Challenges In recent years, the area is facing many of the common environmental problems which are yet to receive proper attention from the politicians as well as administrators in the town. A major part of these environmental problems have arisen out of the steady increase of population, harsh topography as well as lack of proper planning for the development. This has obviously led to an ever-growing demand for the basic civic services and amenities. On the other hand, provision for housing and shelter, water supply, sewage and sanitation, health care services, transport facilities etc. are becoming scarce and costly for dwellers of the area. This has a direct effect on the living conditions of the urban poor who were already subsisting on the margins of their existence. These slums and squatters not only create environmental pollution through their unorganized and unsystematic waste and sewage disposal, congested and unplanned houses as well as through unethical socio-cultural habits and values, but they are created only on already polluted places due to people's lack of conscience in occupying unauthorized land at almost no cost. Air and water pollution, lack of personal hygiene, noise and cultural pollutions are among most considerable environmental problems in the area. Some of these problems are discussed in below.

3.1. Lack of Water Supply, Sewage and Waste Disposal Systems

Since water is the basic necessity, the sufficiency and quality of its supply directly affects the well being of the society living in that particular city. Safe collection and treatment of waste water is almost equally important as the supply part, since inappropriate handling of waste water and sewerage create disease prone living environment [1]. In slums of Tabriz, water supply has improved a bit, but sanitation service is still very poor and does not meet the requirements of this huge population. Due to latest survey only 92% of the households currently receive tap water. Lack of water supply and sanitation facilities characterizes urban squatters of this area. People line up at neighborhood standpipes, buy from vendors, or tap pipes illegally to obtain water. Besides, none of the slums get proper sewerage services and only 38.2% of this population manages to get solid waste management services [5]. As a result, both household waste and human generated wastes are released directly or indirectly into the low-lying lands, surrounding open spaces or water bodies and causes a number of problems. Some settlements have community toilets that are generally unsatisfactory. Most frequently, people defecate in pits or in the open or in ditches, canals, or rivers. Accumulated waste creates mountains of garbage that are the homes and work sites of scavengers, who are often children. Biomedical waste poses a special threat to the health of the population and garbage dumps are also breeding sites for rodents and insects, such as mosquitoes, which carry dengue and malaria.

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Fig. 4-7: Substandard methods of waste disposal.

3.2. Substandard Housing and Construction Proper housing is a very important factor for social and psychological development of children, but the practical situation of all these informal settlements indicates a dreadful life with poor lighting, ventilation, high crowding and living and cooking either close to or at the same place. All of the buildings in squatters are made of low quality materials with no construction standards. Most of them hold a single room for the whole family that makes the slums very congested. According to latest survey, population density in these slums and squatters is 1.17 family per dwelling, and a minimum of 5 and maximum of 8 people share a room, which is highly congested and unhealthy [5]. Most of the buildings have been poorly built and now have leaking roofs, draughty windows and crumbling stonework and empty buildings are vandalized; gap sites where buildings have been knocked down turn into derelict land. Harsh topography and the steep slope of area is another dominant and influential feature which along with lack of soil stabilization measures and use of inappropriate and substandard construction materials and techniques, as shown in figures below, has led to substandard constructions worsening above-mentioned problems and their consequences.

Fig. 8,9: Substandard methods of construction.

3.3. Lack of Healthcare Facilities

There exists no hospital, clinic or any kind of healthcare facilities in the area. This makes the dwellers vulnerable to high risk of illnesses and emergence of natural disasters. The overall picture of child health status in the squatter settlements of Tabriz appears alarming, although no study was found that directly addressed the issue. Infant mortality rates in these areas are almost triple those of other urban areas. There is also evidence of a high incidence of tuberculosis, diarrheal disease, parasitic infections, dengue, and severe malnutrition affecting slum children. Available data support the hypothesis that urban slum child health is generally worse than national and rural averages. Data also show that children under five in slums suffer from the same illnesses as rural children. The public health consequences are severe, especially for young children.

3.4. Exploitation of Biomass Fuels

Due to lack of energy supply, most of the dwellers in slums and squatters burn biomass fuel for domestic cooking. Burning of this huge amount of biomass creates several problems for city environment. Some parts of these dwellings have access to Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) but still prefer biomass fuel. Some of key

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problems arising from this issue include deterioration of outdoor air quality, reduction of vegetation coverage, indoor air pollution and deterioration of health.

3.5. Others Conflicts like quarrel, clash and fight in the squatters of this area is a regular phenomenon. This creates noise and violence, leads to lack of security in the area and disturbs the city dwellers, particularly the nearby residents, office workers, and school children. Besides, many of the residents are involved in prostitution, drug trafficking, hijacking, smuggling etc. These activities threaten the social and cultural environments of the city. Factors such as marginalization, illiteracy, class or caste status, and gender can determine whether a group lives in urban poverty or not. Population of this area also has “relative inequality,” where poverty is not absolute but rather is measured by the opportunity and resource difference between “haves” and “have-nots” living close to each other. Social and economic heterogeneity weakens the community and some of households are headed by women who must earn a living. This situation has consequences on the health and development of small children and often turning small children into workforce.

4. Conclusion Available statistics on environmental health and services, which are a combination of government and private sector data, tell a somber story of poverty and underdevelopment slum and informal settlements of Tabriz. To date, not only has urban planning mostly been focused on metropolitan areas, but the plans that have been developed have not been fully implemented due to under-investment in infrastructure and utilities, and underlying deficiencies in land tenure and the rule of law. While the mainland of city has recently seen considerable investment, its size, high growth rate and historical lack of planning still constitute major challenges. Lack of financial resources and lack of political commitment are other two of the main causes for problems commonly encountered in these areas. Therefore, such areas are not only typically ill regulated and distant from key employment hubs, but also present appalling sanitation conditions and significant environmental problems, including deforestation, pollution and inadequate water and sanitation facilities. These neighborhoods that are most at risk from extreme weather events and natural disasters are made even more vulnerable by overcrowded living conditions, the lack of adequate infrastructure and services, including water, sanitation, drainage, solid waste collection, and unsafe housing, inadequate nutrition and poor health. When a disaster hits, impacts can include the loss of these basic services, damage or destruction to one’s home, reduction or loss of livelihoods, and the rapid spread of malnutrition, and water- and vector-borne diseases like malaria. Hence, before taking any kind of action from planning point of view, it is necessary to improve the environmental conditions of these settlements.

5. References [1] D. Dubbale and J. Tsutsami. Urban Environmental Challenges in Developing Cities. World academy of Science,

Engineering and Technology, 2010, pp. 398-399.

[2] R. Masika. Urbanisation and Urban Poverty: A Gender Analysis. Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency, 1997

[3] P. Piran. Poverty Alleviation in Sistan & Baluchestan. Allameh Tabatabaii University, United Nations Development Programme in the Islamic Republic of Iran (UNDP), 2000, p 22.

[4] M. S. Moosavi. Slum Settlements in Cities of Iran Waiting for a Sustainable Future. In: Procs. of 12th International Conference on Humane Habitat (ICHH). Rizvi College of Architecture, January 2010, Mumbai, India.

[5] B. Sh. B. Consulting Engineers. Urban Upgrading and Housing Reform Project for Tabriz (UUHRP). 2009, Tabriz, Iran.

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