All set to help homeless during winters: Urban shelter board
17 Nov 2014 3:49 AM IST
In the wake of Supreme Court asking the Centre to convene a meeting of chief secretaries of all states within 10 days to evaluate the steps taken by them so far in providing shelter to homeless persons, Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB) has said that it is fully geared up to meet the challenge ahead.
Kamal Malhotra, DUSIB director, said that 184 night shelters have been set up in the national capital of which 82 are permanent and 102 are porta cabins. They provide shelters to almost 15,000 homeless people in the city.
‘Delhi shelter department is in the process of buying 20 thousand new blankets, five thousand daris and five thousand jute mats,’ said Malhotra.
According to a Delhi government survey — Rapid survey for homeless — conducted under the control of the deputy commissioner in June, Delhi has about 16,660 hopeless people, Malhotra added.
Aam Aadmi Party had last year come up with an innovative idea of converting abandoned DTC buses into night shelters.
Malhotra further said that not much work has been done on that proposal. Only four buses have been handed over to the government by DTC. This year, so far, there is no plan of deploying DTC buses. The four buses converted into shelters last year have been returned to DTC.
Refuting the claims of the Delhi government, senior AAP leader Prashant Bhushan told Millennium Post that there are more than 49,000 homeless people in the city and the government claims that it has made preparation for 15,000 homeless persons only.
He also raised concern over the condition of these shelters which are lacking in basic facilities like sanitation and drinking water.
Kamal Malhotra, DUSIB director, said that 184 night shelters have been set up in the national capital of which 82 are permanent and 102 are porta cabins. They provide shelters to almost 15,000 homeless people in the city.
‘Delhi shelter department is in the process of buying 20 thousand new blankets, five thousand daris and five thousand jute mats,’ said Malhotra.
According to a Delhi government survey — Rapid survey for homeless — conducted under the control of the deputy commissioner in June, Delhi has about 16,660 hopeless people, Malhotra added.
Aam Aadmi Party had last year come up with an innovative idea of converting abandoned DTC buses into night shelters.
Malhotra further said that not much work has been done on that proposal. Only four buses have been handed over to the government by DTC. This year, so far, there is no plan of deploying DTC buses. The four buses converted into shelters last year have been returned to DTC.
Refuting the claims of the Delhi government, senior AAP leader Prashant Bhushan told Millennium Post that there are more than 49,000 homeless people in the city and the government claims that it has made preparation for 15,000 homeless persons only.
He also raised concern over the condition of these shelters which are lacking in basic facilities like sanitation and drinking water.
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