No silver lining for Delhi’s homeless

New Delhi: The Justice Kailash Gambhir Committee, appointed by the Supreme Court to see what measures have been taken in the city’s night shelters, has reportedly pulled up Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB) for not doing enough for the inmates to beat the winter chill. Reports suggest five persons have died in different shelters in the recent past.

The former judge, Justice Kailash Gambhir, also pulled up the board for failing to conduct meetings as per the court’s directions. The Delhi high court had directed the DUSIB to conduct these meetings fortnightly.

The inspections were conducted in night shelters at Kilokari and Nizzamuddin area where complaints were filled by the homeless in the capital. Most of the issues in these night shelters still revolve around the caretakers appointed in these shelters. The Delhi government had also planned to conduct sessions with the caretakers to make living for the homeless easier.

An NGO told this newspaper that the feuds between the homeless and caretakers are a routine affair. Indu Prakash Singh, who runs the NGO Shahri Adhikar Manch: Begharon ke Liye, told this newspaper that to solve the most critical issue of the destitute in the capital who seek refuge in these shelters, their NGO has made a suggestion to the government to provide a training session to the people who manage the sundries in these make shift homes. Earlier, the Delhi government’s Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board had announced that it will soon start its project on skill inculcating.

The NGOs and the Delhi skill development department will be teaching the homeless a few skills to make them employable and self dependent. These centers will be inaugurated within the next few months.