Calcutta: A megacity
- Calcutta
- History of Calcutta
- Growing population
- The suburbs of Calcutta
- Wealth and poverty (a big difference)
- Bustees and squatter settlements
Calcutta
Calcutta...
...is the capital of West Bengal, a state in India.
...is on the east side of the Hooghly River. The Hooghly River is an tributary of the Ganges.
...gets its name from one of the three fisher-villages on which Calcutta was set up.
...is one of the largest cities in the world.
...The languages most spoken are: Bengali, Hindu, English
...is the financial center of India.
History
- 1698: the city was set up by the East India Company
- 1699: the first fort was finished it was named Fort William
- 19.06.1756: Nawab of Murshidaba conquered Fort William
- 23.06.1757: Robert Clive captured it again, it fell back to the government of the East India Company
- 1773: the Fort William of today was finished
- 1911: up to then it was the capital of the East India Company
- 15.09.1947: Calcutta became capital of West Bengal
Robert Clive (1725-1774)
Source:"athena.english.vt.edu"
Summary of the history
The East India Company made Calcutta to that Calcutta we know out of three small fisher-villages with the names Sutanuti, Kalikata and Gorindapur on the riverbank of the Hooghly River. Without these influence of the English company Calcutta never had got the construction, the economy and it never had become a mega city like it is today.
The growing population
There are many reasons for people to leave the countryside, first the agriculture, there is the seasonal flooding and drying up of the Hooghly River, so the crops often get bad even before they can be harvested. Also there are many animals which overgraze the land.The second big reason is the bad education, nearly no one in the country side can read or write. This is named the "rural push".
There are also many aspects which attract them to the city. First the steady jobs in small factories and the good education at the schools in the cities. They also think they would get better and safer houses. This is called the "urban pull".
But this isn't always like that. Most families who go to the city find themselves in poverty.They must live in shanty "towns" called squatter settlements or bustees.
When a city grows
- 1946: about 3,2 mio
- 1960: about 6,3 mio
- 1975: about 7,8 mio
- 1981: about 9,2 mio
- 1995: about 11,9 mio
- Today: about 12,3 mio
- 2015: about 17,3 mio
The northern suburbs
Along the right side of the Hooghly River are several important suburbs.
The main towns along the river are:
- Dum Dum, Kamarhati, Panihati, Khardah, Titagarh, Barrackpure, Ichapur, Bhatpara, Naihati, Halishahar, Kanchrapara and Kalani
The western suburbs
Along the western side of the Hooghly River are the Western suburbs.
The main towns along the river are:
- Serampore,Chunchura –Hooghly, Chadannagar, Uttarapra, Konnagar, Rishra, Bhadreswar and Dankuni
Wealth
Wealth:
- More than 50% of the poeple have enough money to live.
- Calcutta´s port handles 10% of Indias trade.
- Distribution trades employ 40% of the working population.
The people in rich suburbs
- About 95% of the men there have work.
- The richer children can go to private schools.
- Most houses have more than one floor.
Calcutta's port
Source:"www.bengalweb.com"
Calcutta skyline of a rich quarter
Hyatt Hotel a hotel for very wealthy people
Source :"www.sino.net"
Poverty
Poverty can be found everywhere in Calcutta.
Poverty:
A million people have no home. Because of the little money there are many criminals. One third of calcutta´s population live in shanty towns called bustees or squatter settles.
Bustees and squatter settlements
Bustees:
- Houses:
- About 30m², just one floor.
- No windows, toilets, water systems and cooking places.
- Money:
- A family gets ~400 Rupies (13€) per month.
- Taxes: 60-120 Rupies (2-4€) per month.
The environment is dirty but sometimes they can wash themselves with clean water.
Squatter settlements:
- Houses:
- Just selfmade houses out of rubbish.
- Money:
- Less than a familly in a bustee.
- Taxes: don´t have to pay taxes.
The environment is even more dirty. They can´t wash themselves with clean water.
Source:"www.calcutta-project.ch"
Source:"www.calcutta-project.ch"
Source:"www.caesartour.it"
Pictures of slums and squatter settlements in Calcutta