Govt brings back blankets for homeless

Two days after HT carried a report that Delhi's homeless are being given bubble wrap used as packaging material instead of blankets to fight the cold, the government has said it will reverse the decision.

Two days after HT carried a report that Delhi's homeless are being given bubble wrap used as packaging material instead of blankets to fight the cold, the government has said it will reverse the decision.

HT Image

"Bubble wrap can't replace blankets," urban development minister AK Walia said.

"These are meant for keeping belongings safe from dew. I've asked officials to move the homeless to night shelters where they will be provided blankets."

He also said that 16 more night shelters will be set up in addition to the 64 permanent and 30 temporary ones.

Officials had told HT that blankets were not being given because drug addicts among the homeless sell them off to sustain their habit.

NGOs have welcomed the move, but want Walia to scrap the distribution of bubble wrap.