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Ludhiana: Even as mercury dips, MC yet to throw open night shelters
Even as minimum temperature plunged to 9°C on Saturday, the Ludhiana municipal corporation (MC) is yet to throw open night shelters for the city’s homeless this season
Even as minimum temperature plunged to 9°C on Saturday, the Ludhiana municipal corporation (MC) is yet to throw open night shelters for the city’s homeless this season.
The city has four night shelters - near Clock Tower; on Hambran Road; near Vishwakarma Chowk and in Moti Nagar - one in each of four zones of MC.
It was found during a visit that the night shelter near Clock Tower has a garbage dump located right at the entrance and conditions both outside and inside the facility are unhygienic .
An MC staffer deputed at one of the shelters stated that no concrete steps have been taken to improve facilities, as they don’t have an adequate number of mattresses, and even the ones that are available haven’t been cleaned for many years. The staffer said there is also no proper security or drinking water facility.
He added that many homeless people avoid moving into the facilities and opt to sleep on roadsides as NGOs and social workers offer them blankets and food, which is not available at the shelters.
In the past, the civic body had set up temporary shelters in various parts of the city and a city bus was also deployed last year to transport homeless people to night shelters. But, no such steps have yet been announced this year.
MC joint commissioner Kulpreet Singh stated that the shelters will soon be opened. He added that they are in talks with the state government to arrange funds for improvement of facilities.
No separate night shelter for women
There are also no separate night shelters for women. An MC employee, requesting anonymity, said that a number of homeless men are drunk when they reach the night shelters and scuffles are also witnessed. Due to lack of proper security, most women avoid the facilities and choose to spend nights on roadsides, the official said.
A civic body official said the night shelter building near Clock Tower is unstable and a tailor had a narrow escape after a small extended portion collapsed after it rained in July. MC officials stated that the civic body is also looking for an alternative facility.
