Forced to sleep under open sky in the chilling winter in the national Capital has been a nightmare for homeless daily wage labourer and rikshaw pullers but now they have reasons to smile as the Delhi Government has come up with a range of facilities to attract them to spend their nights in shelters instead of footpaths. The shelters built by Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB) are equipped with the facilities like lED, geyser, tiles flooring rooms and cleaned blanket and well-maintained washrooms. Besides, tea and breakfast are also being served to them.
Hasrat Ali, a labourer from Moradabad while watching news on television at a night shelter run by SPYM NGO at Delhi Gate, said he never thought to have all the facilities without spending even a single penny. "Blankets, bed, tea and snacks are being provided here free of cost. I do not have any word to thank these people. Earlier, I had to spend Rs 50 to 70 for tea and food but now I can save it and send it home," he said.
The story of Vishnu Sharma, who hails from Bihar and earns his livelihood by working as a daily wager, is not different. Sharma said he came here six month ago in search of a job. He spent three nights on the pavement. One day he came to know about a night shelter at Kashmiri Gate near ISBT. He visited there the same day and he is still living there with all comfort. "I was surprised after being served food. I earn Rs 300 per day and with these facilities here I could save more and sent it back to my home. I am very thankful to the Government for all this," he added.
"We are using bathrooms as it may be that of the five star hotels. It is so clean and I have been treated with dignity by the staff of this shelter. I will earn some money and then go home after two years," said Manohar, who is sharing the shelter with 100-odd people.
Although mostly helpless people prefer to stay at night shelter but people like Mohan Ram, who is at the shelters by choice, are rare. Mohan Ram who stays at a night shelter near Mori Gate is very happy on new initiatives taken by the Delhi Government to provide tea and breakfast free of cost.
The Pioneer visited shelters and found that the occupants were either unemployed or daily wage labourers. Most of them said they were in search of jobs.
"We have appealed to the residents to donate blankets and clothes to the people who have taken refuge in these shelters to survive the treacherous cold. Further we are also trying to provide them employment opportunity so that they can lead a happy life," said Rakesh Kumar caretaker of one of the shelter situated at Delhi
Gate.
He further said that regular inspections are also being done by the officials of these shelters and senior members of the NGO, which runs the shelter.
However a supervisor at a night shelter admitted that some of the occupants are drug addicts.
According to 'Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board' (DUSIB), twenty rescue teams have shifted 215 homeless to the nearest night shelters since November 15to till date.