Delhi’s good Samaritans rain-proof winters for the underprivileged

Homeless in the city are being provided essentials such as tarpaulin-lined blankets and medicines, to help them stay warm during the winter rains.

New Delhi It’s going to be yet another rainy weekend, according to the meteorological department. And if the cold wave wasn’t enough to leave Delhiites shivering then brace yourselves for the upcoming rain spell will add more misery, especially to the woes of the homeless on the streets. It is to help the needy brave such harsh weather conditions that some good Samaritans are coming forward.

Waterproof blankets are helping the homeless to stay safe during rains in winter. (Photo: Vijay Verma/PTI; For representational purposes only)

“Every winter season we organise drives to distribute blankets and sleeping bags to the homeless and the underprivileged. This year, we’ve so far managed to reach out to more than 250 individuals including street vendors and labourers in areas of Old Delhi and Kashmere Gate alongside night shelters at Safdarjung and AIIMS,” says Yusra Khan, from an NGO Yellow Streets, adding, “Winter potentially lasts for two or three months, so the underprivileged don’t invest much in warm clothing or blankets as they don’t have a fixed place to store them, and it gets difficult for them to take care of their belongings while they are constantly moving. So we are distributing them blankets that are lined with waterproof tarpaulin on one side. And alongside we are also giving them woollens, to keep themselves warm.”

Also distributing tarpaulin-lined blankets is the NGO Lakshya Jeevan Jagriti. Rahul Goswami, from this NGO, informs, “The rainproof blankets have a reflective surface, so it helps the drivers on the road know that someone is sleeping by the roadside. This helps avoid them from accidentally ramming into the homeless. We are also distributing winter kits, grocery, and sanitary pads for women, and cooked meals.”

Considering rains breed infections, some kind souls have also been catering to the demand of medicines. “A sound immune system is necessary to fight adverse situations that come to our body on a bad day. And rain brings along a multitude of health problems and virals like cold and cough, which common issues among those who live on the streets,” says Arushi Jain, a pharma professional, adding, “Especially at a time when we need to give a tough fight to Covid, it becomes important to help the homeless get access to medicines that can help keep cough and cold away. Health is a priority for all, and that’s why we recently distributed health benefiting kits to the children at Nirbhed Foundation, which looks after their education, clothing, nutrition, medical facilities, and skill development. This kit has medicines and supplements to avoid infections and sickness that usually fosters in the rainy season.”

Author tweets @siddhijainn

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