Link night shelters with hospitals to prevent cold-related deaths in UP: Minister

The directive comes amid an intense cold wave gripping the state, with authorities noting that a lack of timely medical care -- rather than shortage of blankets alone -- often proves fatal for vulnerable groups such as the elderly, the sick and the destitute.

To prevent cold-related deaths among the homeless, the Uttar Pradesh urban development department has directed that all night shelters across the state be formally linked with nearby hospitals and dispensaries to ensure immediate medical intervention during emergencies.

Officials have been instructed to ensure that no one is left sleeping in the open. (File)

The directive comes amid an intense cold wave gripping the state, with authorities noting that a lack of timely medical care -- rather than shortage of blankets alone -- often proves fatal for vulnerable groups such as the elderly, the sick and the destitute.

Urban development minister AK Sharma said night shelters must function as medical response points during winter emergencies. “Shelters cannot be reduced to mere spaces for distributing blankets. Prompt medical care saves lives, and every shelter must be connected to a health facility,” he said, adding that winter relief measures must be implemented with sensitivity and not treated as a routine administrative exercise.

The department has also issued strict instructions to complete the distribution of blankets and quilts within three days, ensuring that assistance reaches only those genuinely in need. Municipal bodies have been directed to install clear signage at railway stations, bus terminals, major intersections and religious places to guide homeless individuals to the nearest night shelter.

Officials have been instructed to ensure that no one is left sleeping in the open. Those found outdoors during night inspections must be immediately shifted to shelters equipped with food, drinking water, sanitation and medical support.

Authorities have also been directed to set up adequate night shelters and arrange bonfires across urban areas to protect people from the biting cold.

In addition, all shelter homes must be equipped with tarpaulin sheets, proper bedding, clean drinking water and sanitation facilities. Senior officers have been tasked with conducting night-time inspections to ensure compliance and to coordinate with nearby health facilities so that medical support is readily available.