NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court on Monday asked Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB) to inspect afresh the night shelters run by it and take remedial steps at the earliest for improving the facilities there in view of the early onset of winters in the national capital.
The high court was informed by Delhi State Legal Services Authority (DSLSA) that during the independent recce of the night shelters undertaken by it and on interaction with several persons who are reluctant to stay at the night shelters, certain issues were noticed, including low occupancy capacity, lack of creche facility and lack of cleanliness.
‘In view of the fact that winter has set in early in Delhi this year, DUSIB is directed to take all remedial steps at the earliest and file a fresh Status Report within two weeks with a copy to counsel for DSLSA to examine the said status report and undertake fresh inspection of the night shelters run by DUSIB and file a fresh status report.
‘DUSIB shall also take account of the suggestions made by the petitioner in the additional affidavit for improving the facilities available in the night shelters, as far as is possible,’ a bench of Justices Hima Kohli and Subramonium Prasad said.
An affidavit filed by petitioner NGO Delhi Rozi Roti Adhikar Abhiyan (DRRAA) and status report by DSLSA, through advocate Sumer Kumar Sethi, highlighted that though large number of people are living on the streets and their condition is extremely vulnerable given the onset of the winter, the occupancy of several Delhi’s homeless shelters remains well below capacity.
The report highlighted the deficiencies in the night shelters run by DUSIB and said that in interactions with pavement dwellers, it emerged that issues such as lack of provision for storage of belongings, lack of creche or facility for leaving children while women go to work, distance of shelters, lack of cleanliness and security are the key reasons why people are forced to live on the roads.
Advocate Anuj Chaturvedi, representing DUSIB, informed the court that the work for implementing the Winter Action plan is under-way.
(With inputs from PTI)