Kolkata's Problems
The percentage of the population living in urban areas is quite small compared to developed countries. However it still causes problems such as: unemployment, underemployment and shortage of basic facilities like water supply, sanitation, sewerage, and electricity.
Kolkata’s sewage system was implemented by the British, around the early 1900’s to serve a city of 600,000. The system has had little added to it, and the original structure has significantly deteriorated, yet it is supposed to now serve a city with a population of approximately 14 million and growing.
Kolkata stretches about sixty miles along the Hooghly River. The bridges across the Hooghly constitute severe bottlenecks on traffic flow. As severe as the traffic congestion problems are they pale in comparison to Kolkata’s other problems.
Kolkata’s old water system consists of leaking pipes, which lead to contaminated water. In monsoon season sewage infects the water supply.
Garbage collection and disposal is inadequate and it accumulates on the streets.
Housing is inadequate and many inhabitants are the residents of miserable slums, which are made of any materials they can find.
Air pollution - 70% of the residents of Kolkata suffer from respiratory diseases, such as lung cancer, dyspnea and asthma, caused by air pollution.
This picture was taken from the International Space station at night. This image shows how much energy is used and wasted. Lighting is responsible for at least one-fourth of all electricity consumption worldwide. Energy wastage is also a waste in cost and carbon footprint.
Kolkata’s sewage system was implemented by the British, around the early 1900’s to serve a city of 600,000. The system has had little added to it, and the original structure has significantly deteriorated, yet it is supposed to now serve a city with a population of approximately 14 million and growing.
Kolkata stretches about sixty miles along the Hooghly River. The bridges across the Hooghly constitute severe bottlenecks on traffic flow. As severe as the traffic congestion problems are they pale in comparison to Kolkata’s other problems.
Kolkata’s old water system consists of leaking pipes, which lead to contaminated water. In monsoon season sewage infects the water supply.
Garbage collection and disposal is inadequate and it accumulates on the streets.
Housing is inadequate and many inhabitants are the residents of miserable slums, which are made of any materials they can find.
Air pollution - 70% of the residents of Kolkata suffer from respiratory diseases, such as lung cancer, dyspnea and asthma, caused by air pollution.
This picture was taken from the International Space station at night. This image shows how much energy is used and wasted. Lighting is responsible for at least one-fourth of all electricity consumption worldwide. Energy wastage is also a waste in cost and carbon footprint.