CUTTACK: Unable to bear the heat in his house with low voltage making matters worse, Kiran Singh (26) decided to sleep in the open on the roadside along Cuttack-Paradip highway on Wednesday night. But the decision turned fatal for the youngster as a vehicle ran over him killing him on the spot. Kiran’s body was found lying in a pool of blood by a police patrolling van.
While an investigation has been launched into the hit-and-run incident, scores of people like Kiran sleep in the open to escape the heat in their asbestos, tin or tarpaulin-covered houses. Such people can be seen sleeping on footpaths at ring road, OMP square, Ranihat, Dolamundai, road near Badambadi, Station Bazaar, Buxi Bazaar, Tinikonia Bagicha, Dargha Bazaar and Chandni Chowk.
“Our semi-permanent houses are made of asbestos or tin or tarpaulin in Patapola and Tanla Sahi slums. They become unbearably hot forcing us to sleep in the open,” said a group of rickshaw pullers near Badambadi bus stand on Friday evening.It is not that only the poor sleep in the open to escape the heat while risking getting run over by speeding trucks, some people from middle class groups too prefer to retire for the night under the open sky.
“Apart from frequent power cuts, our fans move slowly due to low voltage caused by use of air conditioners by the rich. With no ventilation and rise in temperature and humidity, we prefer to sleep in the open,” said some residents of Khannagar who sleep on the footpath of Kathajodi ring road near Malachandia Chhak.
Worse is the plight of the homeless. While night shelters are functioning for such people, they prefer to sleep in the open as the facilities lack even the basic amenities. Cuttack Municipal Corporation deputy commissioner Swetapadma Satapathy there are four shelters for urban homeless (SUHs) at Sishu Bhawan, Mangalabag, Jagatpur and Satichaura with capacity to accommodate 200 people. “The homeless are not turning up at the SUHs even though we advise them not to sleep on the roadside,” she said.