Vulnerability Mapping of Spatial Dimensions of Living Environment in India and Its Impact on the Health and Psychology of the Urban Poor: A Case Study of Delhi’s Slum-dwellers

Delhi, the national Capital of India attracts millions of poor migrants from the hinterland and most of them find shelter in slums and squatter settlements as they are unable to afford formal housing. Slum development has become the matter of politico-economic concern for Delhi Government, especially, after the Commonwealth Games (2010) because of large scale removal of slum from the city core to the periphery and its adverse impact on the living environment of the urban poor. Environmental Vulnerability Index (EVI) has been constructed (using Census of India, 2001 and 2011 data) for identifying vulnerability zones and 400 households have been surveyed from these zones. This composite index has been computed by using following variables, viz., Percentage of households having none of the specified assets, household living in informal houses and slums, household without electricity, potable drinking water and sanitation, household having no access to banking service, safe cooking fuel or LPG. Various statistical methods like Binary Logistics, Cross-tabulation, SD, Mean and Chi-Square have been applied for primary analysis. Main findings reveal that slum households located in the core city have legitimacy, tenure security, better living environment, better housing amenities, sound health and positive behaviour psychology than those