THIRUVANANTHAPURAM : As the second wave of Covid continues to wreak havoc in the state, the homeless people, who are one of the most vulnerable to infection, are in the lurch. Efforts are yet to be made to shelter those living on the streets and provide them with the necessary facilities.The corporation and the district administration will take necessary steps to rehabilitate the homeless in the event of a prolonged lockdown.
“Earlier, the initiative to shelter the destitute was implemented since many of them were starving. If such a situation arises, we will shift them to shelters,” said Prakash S, health supervisor of the corporation. Last year, the city corporation had erected a makeshift tent at Putharikandam ground, East Fort, to shelter the destitute people. Nearly 208 destitute people in the district were given shelter at the camp. “Wooden planks were laid on the floor. Carpets were spread over them.
The camp had both male and female inmates. They were provided with mats to sleep. The police department had also come up with a programme to deliver food to those living in destitute homes and on the streets,” said a corporation official.
A similar facility to rehabilitate the homeless was also opened at the Government Central High School in Attakulangara, where nearly 223 homeless people between the ages of 28 and 92 were lodged. However, as the lockdown was lifted and restrictions were eased, most of them started moving out of the camp. According to the data revealed by the state government, last year, around 190 destitute and homeless people in Thiruvananthapuram Corporation were rehabilitated during the lockdown period.
Last year’s camps
208 destitute people were given shelter at the Putharikandam ground camp
223 were lodged at Government Central High School in Attakulangara
190 in Thiruvananthapuram Corporation were rehabilitated during the lockdown period says state government data
More CFLTCs mandatory
An official said about 10 Covid First-Line Treatment Centres is functioning in the district and efforts are being made to start three more CFLTCs in the district in the coming days with the increasing number of cases. “Many destitute people are testing positive and are being brought to the testing centres with the help of corporation squads and the police. Measures are also being taken to shift them to various CFLTCs and isolation centres,” he said.