HYDERABAD: To assess the actual number of homeless, shelters required for homeless persons in each Urban Local Body, and for rehabilitation of homeless persons, the Telangana State Mission for Elimination of Poverty in Municipal Areas (MEPMA), a wing of MAUD, proposes to carry out a GIS-based survey of homeless in 74 ULBs in Telangana, including GHMC and Secunderabad Cantonment Board.
MAUD officials told Express that each selected agency, firm or NGO will be allotted one or more regions for conducting the survey of homeless persons based on their eligibility and experience. MEPMA invited request for proposal from interested agencies or firms for implementing the project.
The survey will be divided into three phases which include planning phase where each ULB may be divided into smaller, more compact zones in line within the administrative set-up of the ULB. Teams can be deployed depending on size and population of the zones or ward clusters. Each team would comprise four persons for the field survey. In addition, a team of two data entry operators and analysis specialists would be attached to each team.
The second phase include field survey, mapping and need assessment. Field survey will commence from 8 pm to at least 2 am, as homeless people can usually be identified and contacted at this time.
The next step is Resource Mapping exercise. The resources that this phase of the survey seeks to identify in consultation with the Municipal Commissioner of concerned ULB are existing shelters, unutilised or underutilised government buildings that can be possibly redeployed as shelters after suitable refurbishing and vacant lands that are suitable potential sites for new shelter buildings.
The project area is grouped into three regions
Region-I covers 42 ULBs of Hyderabad Region except GHMC and SCB area
Region-II corresponds to 30 ULBs of Warangal Region
Region-III corresponds to GHMC and SCB area
Objectives
To provide planners a detailed mapping of concentration areas of homeless populations in each city/town
Establish the demographic profile of homeless populations in city/town
Identify official resources such as land and vacant buildings that can be deployed to provide the required infrastructure for shelters in appropriate location in each city/town
Establish the location and type of shelters needed in each city/town by gauging specific needs of beneficiaries