Delhi’s night shelters told not to deny anybody free meals

The lockdown was imposed from Monday night in the light of the Covid-19 surge that has left the health care infrastructure in the city overburdened, forcing patients to run from pillar to post for hospital beds, oxygen, medicines, etc.

The Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (Dusib) on Thursday directed night shelters in the city to ensure no individual is denied meals that are being distributed for free as part of the Delhi government’s initiative to feed people, especially migrant workers, during the lockdown.

Last year, the Delhi government also turned its schools into shelters for the migrants who decided to stay back. (Gurpreet Singh/HT)

Around 14,000 meals were served from the 205 shelters run by Dusib on Thursday – up from the 12,000 meals dished out on Wednesday when the initiative was launched. “Most beneficiaries are migrant workers who have been deprived of their daily wages following the lockdown,” said Bipin Rai, a member of Dusib.

Rai further said, “Orders have been issued that no shelter should deny meals to anyone unless the food is over. If they are out of food, they should guide the person to the nearest shelter. We maintain records for the purpose of scaling up capacity, if needed.”

The lockdown was imposed from Monday night in the light of the Covid-19 surge that has left the health care infrastructure in the city overburdened, forcing patients to run from pillar to post for hospital beds, oxygen, medicines, etc. “We urge people to maintain social distancing and adhere to Covid-19 appropriate behaviour when they come to the shelters to collect the meals,” said Vijay Kumar Bidhuri, CEO, Dusib.

When the nationwide lockdown was imposed on March 24 last year, the city government made similar arrangements for the scores of migrants who were leaving for their native towns and villages, triggered by panic and anxiety about loss of livelihood.

Last year, the Delhi government also turned its schools into shelters for the migrants who decided to stay back. The Delhi government also prepared 1 million meals per day during the stringent phase of the lockdown, that lasted for 68 days, which were distributed from the night shelters and ‘hunger centres’ set up in the 70 assembly constituencies in the city.

“The relief measures undertaken during the lockdown last year was massive. This time, there are fewer people lining up for food. People are scared of Covid-19 now. They are scared of stepping out and queueing. They hear about the deaths and the burden of the disease,” said Rai.

The Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) on Tuesday set up a six-member committee and entrusted it the responsibility of ensuring basic essentials such as food, water, sanitation, shelters and medicines to daily wagers and migrant labourers, including those at construction sites. It also directed the panel to tie up with midday meal contractors for preparing enough meals for thousands of workers and their families.

Sunil Kumar Aledia, executive director of the Centre for Holistic Development, an advocacy group that works with homeless and migrant workers in the city, said the government should increase its capacity of preparing meals at the earliest. “Groups of NGOs have set up meal distributing centres in Kashmere Gate, Ramleela Maidan, Sarai Kale Khan and Nizamuddin Basti. A large number of people are still availing food from these centres and complaining they are being denied food at the shelters run by Dusib. Such mismanagement is unacceptable.”

When contacted, Dusib officials dismissed such claims and said they have not received any complaint of anyone being refused food at the nigh shelters.