DCW hits out at DDA, Delhi Police for razing night shelter

The Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) on Friday slammed the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) and Delhi Police for demolishing a night shelter for women opposite Nizamuddin Dargah, saying that the agencies should be responsible for providing a new rehabilitation centre within 24 hours.

On Thursday night, the children home shelter 'SPYM- All Wishes and Blessing Home', which is reportedly aided by Delhi government where 60 small children used to live, was allegedly demolished.

"How can DDA and Delhi Police leave the women and children on the road at night? Did they not think about women's security? We will issue notices if no action is taken by them. We want quick action against DDA and also want to know who ordered this without any plan," said DCW chairperson Swati Maliwal.

The Commission members visited the area and were informed that no prior information of demolition was given either to Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB), the NGO operating the shelter or to the residents.

The residents informed the Commission that police personnel used force and lathi-charged them to drive them away. It was further stated that the residents were not even given adequate time to collect their belongings.

"SPYM-All wishes and Blessing Home is indeed my home. We adopted this place in 2014 from the government's Raen Basera policy and transformed it into what it was. There are 60 children and 15 females here, who were all abandoned at one point of time. Out of these 60 children, 45 go to schools. DDA people arrived and demolished our home," said an office bearer of the NGO.