Over 4,000 families living on street in winter; DCPCR to approach DUSIB
New Delhi: More than 4,000 families were found sleeping without any roof in the city, revealed the ongoing survey of the Delhi Commission for Protection of Child Rights (DCPCR) with other NGOs in Delhi. The child rights body will approach the Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB) for the shelter of the homeless kids and their families in city.
As temperatures have plummeted this winter, sleeping on the street now becomes tough for the children and their families who are living on the street situation. According to DCPCR official, the families took shelter under flyovers or trees. Rita Singh, member DCPCR, said the survey is going on in all districts to identify children living on streets in Delhi. "More than 400 families were reportedly found living on the streets in North East, West, North, South West and North West Delhi," said Singh.
In North East Delhi's Gokulpur Gaon, Usmanpur, Sundar Nagri, Nand Nagri as many as 270 families were found residing on streets.
"Around 50 families were found on the streets in Sultanpuri Jalebi Chowk, Karala Main Chowk of North West Delhi," said the report. Nearby a metro station in West Delhi, 15 families were reportedly found living on the street. Around 150 families including kids were living in the corner of streets in North and South West Delhi. In 12 places in Central Delhi, around 1225 families were found. "As many as 270 families were found living in open in East Delhi whereas in New Delhi , 150 families were found staying on two areas," said the report. In Shahdara, South and South East Delhi, more than 13 places were found with over 1900 homeless residing on the street.
The DCPCR data claimed that as many as 2,775 children under age group (0-3 years), 8,129 under (3-6 years), 46,848 under (6-14 years) and more than 12,000 children under 15-18 years were found living on the streets of Delhi.
A meeting was held between the stakeholders including child rights body for better future of these children. Government officials, police, members from CWC, DCPU, SDMO were present. DCPCR chairperson Ramesh Negi discussed with the other officials on the topic to provide better future to all the kids.
The standard operating procedure of National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) in association with a Delhi-based NGO on care and protection of children in street situations says that most street children work five-eight hours on an average each day. Long working hours, drudgery and exhaustion are some of the reasons that force the children towards drugs.
