How are the poor more susceptible to diseases?
The poor are more susceptible to diseases because they live in poor environmental conditions. Due to poor sanitation, incidence of gastrointestinal diseases and diarrhoea are very high. The rate of infant mortality is also high because they consume dirty water and fall victim to water-borne diseases.

Around 40,000 to 50,000 people live in Priya Manna Basti ( pmb), the size of which is that of a football field. The average size of a family is more than 20, but environmental hygiene is virtually non-existent. Around 20 households share one to two broken toilets. Furthermore, since the water supply is erratic, very often they are forced to use dirty water.

Are women involved in any of the activities in the basti?
The entire programme involves only women volunteers. They run a school, a bank, literacy classes and are involved in education-related activities in the neighbouring slums.

How does poverty contribute to pollution?
People living in unhealthy environmental conditions are often exposed to various forms of pollution, including indoor air pollution. In these areas, defecation in the open is common due to the absence of sanitation facilities. This is also one of the primary reasons for the transmission of diseases.

Poverty can also be associated with pollution control. Besides civic institutions, waste management in our cities and in developing countries is done by the urban poor