Impact of COVID on Vulnerable Groups with Focus on Water and Sanitation (2020)
July 2019
The COVID-19 pandemic crisis suggests that the Indian cities are not fully equipped to address this crisis. A key objective of this study is to assess the impacts of the pandemic on urban slum dwellers and sanitation workers. Slum dwellers have inadequate access to basic services to water & sanitation, while sanitation workers form an essential part of frontline workers that make them more vulnerable to the pandemic. Challenges faced by the vulnerable groups in cities of Mumbai, Pune, Sinnar and Surat were studied and analyzed. Findings from advisories and guidelines by Indian Government and Global organizations were instrumental in framing the recommendations. The recommendations formulated hint at strengthening of existing urban systems that will enable cities to address the impacts of the Pandemic.
