Urban Environment

The exponential growth of the city results in stress on the Madurai city urban environment. Villages in the periphery used to evolve into new urban settlements and clustered house settlements in the city become the emerging slums. The pathetic living environment adds more hazard to their living standards, risking their physical and economic well-being. Adding to the menace is the pollution of water bodies and public resources.

DHAN Foundation engages with the city corporation to encourage effective use of community toilets in places where open defecation persists due to non-availability of individual/community toilets. Dysfunctional toilet complexes have been revived and made functional.

Urban planning plays an important role in ensuring that the city is a suitable place for living. DHAN has promoted the City Resource Centre, which envisages work in close tandem with the city corporation to ensure good quality of living. DHAN plays a constructive role by taking part in the corporation’s development initiatives and encourages the local community to actively take part in the public forums organised by the corporation to raise development issues to be addressed by the corporation.

Increasing urbanisation has led to the drainage effluents being directed into river Vaigai. Vaigai, the historical river is now the most common place for drainage sewage. Restoration of river Vaigai is key to bring a grinding halt to the depletion of river Vaigai. DHAN is working closely with the district administration and the city corporation to evolve mechanisms for river restoration.

DHAN facilitates River Walks (Nathivalam) to promote social gathering on the river banks on the occasion of full moon day in historical landmarks. The SHGs’ representatives on the locality, zonal members of Vaigai river restoration committee, historians and environmental enthusiast get organised on the occasion. The platform brings yesteryear memories of the Vaigai River in their life, thereby infusing interest among the participants the need to revive the river.