Account for the multiple problems of urban agglomerations.

Environmental Problems

Urban agglomerations face significant environmental challenges due to concentrated human activity and industrialization.

• Air Pollution: Vehicular emissions, industrial pollutants, and construction activities contribute to severe air quality deterioration, particularly in cities like Delhi and Kanpur. PM2.5 levels often exceed permissible limits, leading to respiratory illnesses.
• Water Pollution: Untreated sewage and industrial effluents discharged into rivers and water bodies contaminate water sources. The Ganga Action Plan (1985) and Namami Gange (2014) are attempts to address this, but challenges remain.
• Waste Management: Inadequate waste collection, segregation, and disposal systems lead to overflowing landfills and environmental hazards. The Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016, aim to improve waste management practices.
• Urban Heat Island Effect: Concentration of concrete and asphalt surfaces increases temperatures in urban areas compared to surrounding rural areas.
• Loss of Green Spaces: Rapid construction and encroachment on natural areas reduce green cover, impacting biodiversity and increasing vulnerability to climate change.

Socio-Economic Problems

Urbanization exacerbates existing socio-economic inequalities and creates new challenges.

• Housing Shortage: Rapid population growth leads to a shortage of affordable housing, resulting in the proliferation of slums and informal settlements. According to the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, India faces a housing shortage of over 12 million units.
• Poverty and Inequality: Despite economic opportunities, urban areas often exhibit high levels of poverty and income inequality. Migrant populations are particularly vulnerable.
• Unemployment and Underemployment: Lack of skilled labor and limited job opportunities contribute to unemployment and underemployment.
• Inadequate Infrastructure: Insufficient access to basic services like water, sanitation, healthcare, and education disproportionately affects low-income communities.
• Crime and Social Disruption: Urban areas can experience higher rates of crime and social unrest due to factors like poverty, inequality, and anonymity.

Governance and Planning Problems

Weak governance and inadequate urban planning contribute to many of the problems faced by urban agglomerations.

• Lack of Integrated Planning: Fragmented planning approaches and lack of coordination between different agencies lead to inefficient resource allocation and unsustainable development.
• Weak Municipal Finances: Municipal corporations often lack sufficient financial resources to provide adequate services and infrastructure. Dependence on state government grants hinders autonomy.
• Corruption and Inefficiency: Corruption and bureaucratic inefficiencies can impede the implementation of urban development projects.
• Inadequate Land Use Regulation: Poorly enforced land use regulations lead to unplanned development, encroachment on public spaces, and environmental degradation.
• Traffic Congestion: Rapid growth in vehicle ownership and inadequate public transportation systems result in severe traffic congestion, leading to economic losses and air pollution.

Problem Area	Specific Issue	Example City
Environmental	Groundwater Depletion	Chennai (severe water crisis in 2019)
Socio-Economic	Slum Proliferation	Mumbai (Dharavi slum)
Governance	Poor Sanitation	Patna (low sanitation coverage)