NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court on Wednesday issued a wide range of directions to elevate the living condition of homeless people in the national capital, including converting the subways around the hospitals into shelter homes, and erecting tents to serve the purpose, saying it was the duty of the state to provide shelter, which it termed as “a fundamental right”.
The court directed authorities concerned to attend a meeting at 10 AM on Thursday, to be convened under the Chairmanship of Principal District Judge (South district), to chalk out the short term plan which is set to be implemented from tomorrow itself.
A bench of Chief Justice D K Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia was hearing a matter that the court recently took suo motu cognisance of.
“Ours is a social welfare state, and accordingly right of shelter of a person, if denied, violates right to life as enshrined under Part III of the Constitution…,” the court said and posted the matter for further hearing on January 16.