India needs to slum it out
Most people think of slum as a place of static despair as depicted in films such as Slumdog Millionaire - the only way out is winning a lottery.While the poverty is real enough,real-life slums are different.If one looks past the open drains and plastic sheets, one will see that slums are ecosystem buzzing with activity- shops, mini-factories, people moving out.This is where migrants will first find shelter, get their first job, get information about opportunities in the wider city. Almost every country has had slums during the urbanisation phase.The slum of London and Network were notorious well into 20th century. A century ago,the now trendy Meatpacking District of Manhattan had more than 200 slaughterhouses where many new immigrants Worked so that their children could move to leafy suburbs.Harappa cities and Mughal Delhi too had slums.Even today's china has slums, despite its many social and Political controls.S lums already play a critical role as routers in india's mig...