Covid-19 lockdown in Delhi: ‘Homeless are struggling to get food’

Atul Mathur | TNN | Updated: Apr 15, 2020, 06:56 IST

Over 500 migrants moved to new facilities

NEW DELHI: Days after three night shelters near Kashmere Gate were burnt down allegedly due to inadequate food for the homeless and jobless migrant workers, the civil society on Tuesday claimed that availability of food continues to be a major problem.
In a letter to chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, Anjali Bhardwaj of Delhi Rozi Roti Adhikar Abhiyan claimed that the supply of cooked food was disrupted for two days. Sunil Kumar Aledia of Centre for Holistic Development has demanded that new shelters be set up in stadiums and bus depots and the homeless, who are forced to live along the Yamuna in despicable surroundings, be shifted there immediately.
“The problem of food shortage in the shelters at Yamuna Pushta has been surfacing ever since the lockdown started last month. Thousands of migrant workers have congregated at the shelters, which already houses many homeless people. Despite this, adequate provision for food supply has not been made nor have additional centres been set up,” Bhardwaj’s letter stated.
The organisation urged Delhi government to accommodate displaced people in nearby schools and shelters and ensure adequate supply of both cooked meals and dry rations. It also demanded that dry ration be provided to all needy people without asking for documents and a mechanism be put in place so that the system is not misused.
While there were about 800 people living in the night shelters set up by DUSIB on the Yamuna ghat, hundreds of migrants reached there after the lockdown.
A senior DUSIB official said 535 homeless were shifted to alternate locations on Tuesday. “We have identified 10-11 schools in Rohini, Avantika, Ghazipur and other locations to accommodate people and maintain social distancing norms. While 200 have already been shifted, the remaining will be moved on Wednesday. Those staying in the night shelters were being provided two meals daily,” he added.
Adelia alleged that those shifted to the Ghazipur shelter came back late on Tuesday after police refused to allow them to stay there.
DM (Central) Nidhi Srivastava said a large number of people living along the river were being provided food by her team. “These people are spread across a long stretch along the river, so some might have been left out. But we are ensuring food for all,” she added.
Another official said that the district administration was working out a plan to move such people to temporary shelters in northwest Delhi.