People sleeping on Indian streets is the shameful reality we may have to live with unless we act soon
Though a tad late, winters have finally arrived and a cold wave is sweeping much parts of the country, affecting all and sundry, but discriminatorily. For the well off, these conditions may just be a matter of inconvenience. Some can win the war against cold by using room heaters, not minding the heavy electricity bills, or by adding more layers of woolens to keep themselves warm. For the poor though, extreme weather conditions always spell trouble — be it harsh winters or scorching summers. There is far little comfort for the poor, who spend most nights sleeping on rough Indian streets, pavements, abandoned drainpipes, temple staircases and what not. Not to forget, there are others, too, with unseen and untold miseries. This time round, though no cold wave deaths have been reported as yet, the sheer number of people taking refuge in shelter homes speaks volumes about homelessness. Consequences far outweigh the poor being just under the grip of cold. It’s the profound effect of poverty, joblessness and declining physical and mental health that act as a potent mix for cold wave deaths.
It’s not as if the situation is inevitable. In fact, it is totally avoidable but for the lack of a comprehensive strategy to tackle homelessness. Despite the sheer number of welfare schemes, only a few sections benefit actually on the ground level. Compared to other States, though Delhi has fared much better in providing rainbaseras to the homeless, it is a travesty that there are few takers, the reason being that the shelter homes with inhuman conditions have become a place for endless indignities. Besides having to do with the filthy conditions, the homeless also run the risk of falling prey to pick-pockets or becoming victims of theft from their very own peers. Worse, those among the homeless like migrant labourers, earning their bread and butter doing menial jobs like working at construction sites, also have to share the space with drug addicts and hardened criminals. The only saving grace then is that there are a few civil society groups and other people who have been doing their bit by providing them with food and woollens that thankfully reach the intended beneficiaries. While this may be the case in Delhi, the same may not be true in other States which lack in providing a roof for the homeless, even at the expense of flouting Supreme Court orders. As the cold wave now takes a toll on the toxic air we breathe, with a thicker layer of smog engulfing the atmosphere, there is little hope that we can save ourselves from the worsening situation. Until, of course, the Government, as well as the people wake up to the shameful reality and do their bit by acting responsibly.
