Extreme weather condition since December 15 has caused deaths of at least two dozen homeless people in the city. It has also been reported that 11 people have died in the last 48 hours as cold snap grips the city.
Reacting to the deaths, Manish Sisodia, a Minister in Delhi Government, said a probe has been ordered. The The Delhi Government, after swearing-in, had promised 100 night shelters for the homeless in 48 hours.
Early this month, Delhi Cabinet Ministers Rakhi Birla and Manish Sisodia had even undertaken inspection of night shelters to assess the plight of the city’s shivering poor.
The majority of death reports came from Yamuna Pushta area and its nearby localities where a majority of the homeless, including vendors, beggars and casual labourers live in large numbers. A visit to this area revealed how scores of people were forced to spend nights under open skies since the number of night shelters was limited. The areas of Kashmere Gate, Sadar Bazar, ITO, Chandni Chowk and Yamuna Bazar were the worst affected. Four people are reported to have died in Kashmere Gate on Saturday while other casualties were reported from Yamuna Bazar and ITO.
Meanwhile, 35 night shelters in the form of tents, porta cabins and buses have been created across the city. These shelters can accommodate nearly 900 homeless. Nine abandoned buses have been converted into shelters been outside Government hospitals like AIIMS and GB Pant Hospital while some bus stands at Sarai Kale Khan are homes to 35 people each.