A Study on Urban Agglomeration and Health Consequences in India

Massive rural-urban migration, natural population expansion, and the increased concentration of new opportunities and services made available in urban regions all contribute to the growth of cities in urban spaces. Cities and towns are appealing to rural dwellers due to the increased work opportunities, advanced educational facilities, less transportation expenses, superior communication facilities, and an overall ambient level of life. There have been a lot of research done in the past about how urban agglomeration affects the environment. Without careful town planning, the demand for urban land has increased significantly along with record levels of migration and population expansion, which has led to the uncontrolled conversion of non-urban and agricultural land along the boundaries of cities. Environmental deterioration as a result has led to a high carbon footprint, the loss of open space, and the destruction of ecosystems that are ecologically sensitive. Urbanisation also brings about profound changes in social organisation and in the pattern of family life. A key outcome is reduced social support so readily available in villages. The rise of nuclear families especially makes urbanites vulnerable to psychological trauma and to mental disorders. These include dementia, depression, substance abuse, alcoholism and family disintegration. A report by World Health Organisation (WHO) titled The Mental Health Context, has enumerated that mental disorders account for nearly 12 percent of the global burden of disease. By 2020, these will account for nearly 15 percent of disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) lost to illness. The incident of mental disorders is highest in young adults, the most productive age of the population. It is estimated that about 150 million people in India are in need of active psychiatric intervention. Given the fertile conditions, Indian cities are likely to have a very large share of this global health challenge in the coming decades. Therefore, this paper discusses the health impacts due to urban agglomeration in Indi