Declaration of slum areas

3.

1. (1) Where the State Government is satisfied,
   • (a) that any area is a source of danger to the health, safety or morals of the inhabitants of that area or of its neighbourhood, by reason of the area being low-lying, insanitary, squalid, over-crowded or otherwise; or
   • (b) that the buildings in any area, used or intended to be used for human habitation are,
     • (i) in any respect, unfit for human habitation; or
     • (ii) by reason of dilapidation, overcrowding, faulty arrangement and design of such buildings, narrowness or faulty arrangement of streets, lack of ventilation, light or sanitation facilities, or any combination of these factors, detrimental to safety, health or morals, it may, by notification in the Official Gazette, declare such area to be a slum area and such declaration shall also be published in that area in such other manner as may be prescribed.
2. (2) In determining whether a building is unfit for human habitation, for the purposes of this Act, regard shall be had to its condition in respect of the following matters, that is to say,
   • (i) repair,
   • (ii) stability,
   • (iii) freedom from damp,
   • (iv) natural light and air,
   • (v) water-supply,
   • (vi) drainage and sanitary conveniences,
   • (vii) facilities for storage, preparation and cooking of food and for the disposal of waste water, and the building shall be deemed to be unfit as aforesaid, if it is so defective in one or more of the said matters that it is not reasonably suitable for occupation in that condition.