LMC planning community kitchen, donation drives to help homeless during winter

During a meeting with non-profits, philanthropists and other stakeholders, Lucknow Municipal Corporation on Wednesday decided on the course of action to be followed to provide shelter and proper amenities to the homeless of the city in the harsh winter months

During a meeting with non-profits, philanthropists and other stakeholders, Lucknow Municipal Corporation on Wednesday decided on the course of action to be followed to provide shelter and proper amenities to the homeless of the city in the harsh winter months. A similar meeting with shelter home operators will also be held.

File pic of a night shelter (HT PHOTO)

A community kitchen will come up where the homeless can have meals daily. Nagar Nigam officials and representatives from non-profits have begun night trips to identify the homeless and drop them off at the nearest shelter home.

Donation drives are also being held during which people are requested to give away old winter wears to shelter homes or drop them off at ‘neki ki deewar’--the designated areas for people to drop off their clothes.

“Currently, we have three of such facilities, where people who cannot go to a LMC zonal office or a shelter home, can leave their clothes. Talks are underway to set up seven or eight more of them,” municipal commissioner Inderjit Singh said.

Balveer Singh Maan from Ummeed, a civil society organisation that serves the homeless, said collection of woollen clothes was already underway. “We are requesting the people of the city to help out in this endeavour. We are reaching out to the public through social media and the press. We are also planning to set up donation walls at all nagar nigam zonal offices, so that these garments can reach the homeless and needy more easily.”