The Odisha Human Rights Commission (OHRC) has issued a notice to the State Government asking it to file a report detailing its schemes now being implemented to provide night shelters for those homeless who are spending nights in footpaths, flyovers and shop verandahs in the twin city of Bhubaneswar and Cuttack.
Taking up a petition filed by Odisha High Court lawyer Nishikant Mishra, the commission has asked the Housing and Urban Development Secretary to file the report within four weeks.
“Submit a report to the commission in four weeks’ time highlighting the schemes of the State Government to provide night shelters for such persons particularly in city areas like Cuttack and Bhubaneswar,” the OHRC has said in its order. Expressing concern over the sudden fall in the night temperature and the winter ahead, Mishra in his petition has mentioned that thousands of homeless in the twin cities of Cuttack and Bhubaneswar are forced to spend the nights in open in biting cold.
“Despite the claims made by the Government that the civic bodies of these two cities have built several night shelters for the homeless, the realities are far from true,” Mishra alleged. Pointing out that it is a clear-cut violation of human rights, Mishra in his petition has said, “It is the minimum duty of a welfare state to provide shelter to the destitute and homeless, but the State Government has been unable to provide this minimum need.”