NEW DELHI: Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena on Saturday expressed “shock” over alleged lack of sanitation facilities at shelter homes, which forced the inhabitants to defecate in the open. Besides, he also found that cramped shelter homes put thousands to spend nights beneath the open sky amid freezing temperature. Officials said that the mismanagement was noted by Saxena during his surprise inspection to two shelters homes at ISBT and adjacent to Hanuman Mandir late on Friday night.
“While visiting the night shelters, he (Saxena) found that many were still sleeping on roadsides and pavements. The total capacity of night shelters at the sites was only 600, while about 5,000 homeless people were living in the area. Apart from this, even as the shelters provided food only to occupants registered with the shelters, there were thousands who were dependent upon charity for food,” a statement released from the L-G House stated.
“He also expressed shock over the acute shortage of toilets. Thousands were forced to defecate in the open, even as remote areas in the country were achieving the goal of Open Defecation Free India.
“This, apart from causing direct pollution to flow into an already polluted Yamuna, was also depriving poor people of basic personal dignity and exposing them to various health hazards,” it added. The L-G house said that Saxena will be taking up the matter with the Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. Meanwhile, an interim relief, to those who sleep on streets, will be immediately provided with options at other locations in the city, it added. Saxena also stressed on the need to have shelters near the place of work of these people most of whom are migrant workers. He stressed on the need to have shelters near the place of work of these people, who are migrant workers
Saxena’s surprise visit to the night shelters came in the backdrop of media reports, which claimed that thousands of homeless people are sleeping on roadsides and pavements, officials said. Meanwhile, the official statement stated that ample provisions for housing of the homeless population with basic amenities will be ensured in the Draft Master Plan 2041 of the city.