Covid-19: Fear and anxiety worry inmates of Pune shelter homes
Representational Image. PUNE: Kailash Saha, one of the 1,300 homeless people rounded up by the police from Pune railway station and lodged in a shelter home in the city, claims to be an MBBS doctor from West Bengal. He also says he has a double BA in science. But he has no document to buttress his claims.
Saha is among those sheltered in 15 civic schools and four homes run by the social welfare department. Separated from their families by hundreds of miles with no one to call their own, many of them live in a state of delirium.
Coronavirus lockdown: Latest updates
With the authorities confining them in shelter homes to contain the spread of coronavirus, they are scared and confused.
Rukmani Harijan was on her way to Nagpur on foot when she along with others in her group were picked up by the police. “I was put in a vehicle and brought here. There were six more people with me. I don’t know where they are now. We lived in Shindewadi and are daily wage labourers. Will we be allowed to go to Shindewadi? How long will I have to stay here?” asked Rukmani in a mix of Hindi and Marathi.
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Most people stuck in shelter homes have the same questions. What will happen to them? When will they be released. Some don’t even know where they have been kept.
When the lockdown was announced, Suresh Chavan and his family were walking towards their home town in Karnataka from Walekarwadi.
“Some policemen came and started beating us. They said we can’t go. We have our family back in Karnataka. Can you tell us where we have been kept? What is this area called? When will the train services resume,” asked Chavan, with his wife, sister and daughter beside him.
People lodged in shelters are all from different states and even from neighbouring countries, such as Nepal. “Not everyone has documents with them as many are homeless. They have been registered with just their name and whatever address they could provide. The administration is also not making registration of addresses compulsory as the main aim is to keep them quarantined,” said Manorama Aware, a PMC official.
“There are 1300 people in these shelters. The numbers may increase and, hence, we are trying to find out the private contractors for whom they worked, so that they can be told to come and provide them with necessary accommodation and food. This will free up space. Secondly, we know that many of them suffer from skin diseases, or other diseases and need psychological help. Medical checkups from local health facilities is being provided and people showing any symptoms are being kept separate from others. We will also be taking the help of counsellors.
People who need professional help will be shifted to mental institutions. Since many of them are not used to being confined, small arguments and fights are taking place, but we are increasing security at these shelters,” said Madhav Jagtap, nodal officer for shelter homes in the city.
Saha is among those sheltered in 15 civic schools and four homes run by the social welfare department. Separated from their families by hundreds of miles with no one to call their own, many of them live in a state of delirium.
Coronavirus lockdown: Latest updates
With the authorities confining them in shelter homes to contain the spread of coronavirus, they are scared and confused.
Rukmani Harijan was on her way to Nagpur on foot when she along with others in her group were picked up by the police. “I was put in a vehicle and brought here. There were six more people with me. I don’t know where they are now. We lived in Shindewadi and are daily wage labourers. Will we be allowed to go to Shindewadi? How long will I have to stay here?” asked Rukmani in a mix of Hindi and Marathi.
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Most people stuck in shelter homes have the same questions. What will happen to them? When will they be released. Some don’t even know where they have been kept.
When the lockdown was announced, Suresh Chavan and his family were walking towards their home town in Karnataka from Walekarwadi.
“Some policemen came and started beating us. They said we can’t go. We have our family back in Karnataka. Can you tell us where we have been kept? What is this area called? When will the train services resume,” asked Chavan, with his wife, sister and daughter beside him.
People lodged in shelters are all from different states and even from neighbouring countries, such as Nepal. “Not everyone has documents with them as many are homeless. They have been registered with just their name and whatever address they could provide. The administration is also not making registration of addresses compulsory as the main aim is to keep them quarantined,” said Manorama Aware, a PMC official.
“There are 1300 people in these shelters. The numbers may increase and, hence, we are trying to find out the private contractors for whom they worked, so that they can be told to come and provide them with necessary accommodation and food. This will free up space. Secondly, we know that many of them suffer from skin diseases, or other diseases and need psychological help. Medical checkups from local health facilities is being provided and people showing any symptoms are being kept separate from others. We will also be taking the help of counsellors.
People who need professional help will be shifted to mental institutions. Since many of them are not used to being confined, small arguments and fights are taking place, but we are increasing security at these shelters,” said Madhav Jagtap, nodal officer for shelter homes in the city.
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