‘Fix the state of night shelters’: HC directs Centre, Delhi govt

The court directed the governments and Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB) to file a status report detailing the conditions and facilities being provided in the night shelters.

The Delhi High Court on Monday took suo moto cognisance of the inadequate facilities at night shelters in the city amid the chilling winters. The court directed the Delhi government and the Centre to ensure that homeless people in the Capital are provided with sufficient amenities at the shelters to protect themselves from the weather.

Court asked to ensure that homeless people are provided with sufficient amenities at the shelters to protect themselves from the weather. (HT PHOTO)

Further, the court directed the governments and Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB) to file a status report detailing the conditions and facilities being provided in the night shelters.

“We issued notice to the respondents and directed them to file a status report indicating the situation prevailing...in shelters across the city and services provided to the residents so that they are equipped to face severe cold. Mention what you have done. What is the situation there?” the bench comprising chief justice DK Upadhyaya and justice Tejas Karia, said in its order.

“If any of us has to live there for a night, we do not know what will happen. Be sensitive. The court issued the direction after a coordinate bench took cognisance of the ‘severe conditions’ based on a newspaper report published on January 11 which highlighted the grim conditions of the night shelter near All India Medical Sciences,” the bench said. The next date of hearing has been fixed for January 14.

A cold wave continued to grip the region on Monday as temperatures in Delhi dropped to 3.2°C—4.2 degrees below the seasonal average—while air quality remained in the “poor” category and was likely to worsen to “very poor” during the day. Similar conditions are expected to persist at least until Wednesday.

A cold wave continued to grip the region on Monday as temperatures in Delhi dropped to 3.2°C—4.2 degrees below the seasonal average—while air quality remained in the “poor” category. Similar conditions are expected to persist at least until Wednesday.