Severe cold waves continue to play havoc with the poor and homeless people in the national Capital as 44 fresh deaths have been reported in first week of the New Year. For the eighth consecutive day, the minimum temperature has been fluctuating between 6 degrees Celsius and 8 degrees Celsius. Intense cold waves generated by the frigid weather has brought more miseries to the homeless.
On Saturday last, the city recorded lowest temperature in season at 6 degrees Celsius, Mahesh Palawat, chief Meteorologist, Skymet, a private weather watch organisation tweeted.
According to the fresh data on unidentified dead bodies (UIDBs) of homeless people procured from Zonal Integrated Police (ZIP) Network of the Ministry of Home affairs (MHA), 290 homeless have died in this winter season.
The Delhi Government has erected night shelters but the sheer number of homeless people need more facilities. The new temporary night shelters have been erected near Yamuna Ghat and Gurudwara Bangla Sahib by Delhi Urban Improvement Shelter Board (DUSIB).
Temporarily night shelters have come up near Fountain Park, Chandni Chowk and Fatehpuri. The harsh climate condition is also to be blamed, forcing many to spend nights in biting cold in the long market corridors behind Gurdawara Sis Ganj.
As of now the national Capital has RCC buildings, 114 PORTA cabins, 56 tents and one subway to give accommodation to homeless people with capacity of 9,659, 7,075, 2,900 and 350 respectively.
According to National Urban Health Mission (NUHM) guidelines, the dedicated spaces for per person should be 50 square meter whereas existing space per person is 11 square meter.
The Centre for Holistic Development (CHD) said the population of homeless people in Delhi is near 50,000, however, every year around 3,000 homeless people die due to harsh climate conditions.