Night shelters 'below satisfactory'; need to keep providing cooked meals: DSLSA to HC

new delhi: Living conditions in night shelters run in the Capital are "below satisfactory", the Delhi State Legal Services Authority on Thursday informed the Delhi High Court, adding that the shelters lacked hand santisers, masks, basic first aid, bedding and that there was a shortage of washrooms along with poor hygiene conditions.

The DSLSA has also highlighted that washrooms were in such a condition that some children were also seen urinating in open areas. The legal services authority also noted that a lack of bedding had led to people sleeping on the floors which was of particular concern as the authority also cited rodent infestation in some of the shelters.

These findings were contained in a status report placed before a bench of Justices Hima Kohli and Subramanian Prasad pursuant to its direction to DSLSA on August 18 to find out whether there was any need to continue with the hunger relief camps, providing dry ration to the non-PDS beneficiaries and providing cooked food to those who are using night shelters run by the Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB).

The report submitted to the high court also added that the night shelters being open to all had led to many drug addicts living there with no mechanism or means for their treatment and de-addiction. The DSLSA also said that many shelters were seen accommodating more people than their capacity.

Going on to say that some beneficiaries had highlighted the "average quality" of meals being provided, the DSLSA concludes that "there is need and requirement to continue to provide cooked food at night shelters to the occupants.