Homeless shelters: Gujarat High Court asks petitioner to inspect facilities

A division bench of the Gujarat High Court has asked the petitioner to inspect facilities being provided at the shelter homes in the state . The court asked the petitioner to visit one such home in the city. It also asked the state and civic body to ensure that all facilities are made available at the shelter home before March. The court's direction came after the state in its reply said that it would ensure that all shelter homes have the requisite facilities by March to which the court said that the shelter homes were needed by the poor now and not some months later.

The civic body and the state had in their reply said that the process of ensuring gas connection, food facilities, bunker beds and blankets were in process.

The petitioner had earlier stated that the population of urban homeless in the city of Ahmedabad was around 12,318 and the number of shelters in the city is around 46, having a capacity to accommodate just 2,840 persons. Of this only 17 were functioning properly.

Further hearing in the case will be held on January 30.

The high court had earlier on Thursday sought a reply from the state government and municipal commissioners of Ahmedabad, Surat, Vadodara, Rajkot, Bhavnagar, Junagadh, Jamnagar, and Gandhinagar after a public interest litigation (PIL) questioned the the poor infrastructure in the state for the urban homeless.

The PIL by Vishwas Bhamburkar had claimed that the population of urban homeless in the state is around 84,822 and despite the high number there were only 101 urban shelters for the homeless in the state. These shelters could accommodate just 6,430 persons.

The petition had further stated that despite the shortage of shelter homes , the state was sitting idle on Rs 47.85 crore available for the purpose under central schemes. The petition had also sought that the homeless be allowed to stay in public buildings such as government schools and community halls during winter.

PETITIONER CLAIMED

The petitioner had earlier stated that the population of urban homeless in the city of Ahmedabad was around 12,318 and the number of shelters in the city is around 46, having a capacity to accommodate just 2,840 persons. Of this only 17 were functioning properly.