Every night when you tuck into your cosy blankets, spare a thought for all those who have no such privileges. Cold spells harsh realities for the homeless, who fight out a one-sided battle with the weather, lying under flyovers, on pavements and streets and railway stations.
Though far from perfect, rain baseras or night shelters, run in different parts of the city by various NGOs, indeed provide some warmth to the shelterless.
Deepak Mahato, 35, is a rickshaw-puller, who stays at Phool Mandi Building near Mori Gate, run by Aashray Adhikaar Abhiyan. He laments the lack of drinking water in the facility, which accommodates 200 people. There's a water filter indeed at the shelter but remains empty most of the time as it is filled justthrice or four times a week. The occupants like Mahato also need to shell out money for using toilets at the shelters, as they are managed separately by different NGOs. In this case, Delhi Jan Sudhar Samiti is in charge. For forty-seven-year-old Basudev, the real problem are the neighbourhood children, who come here to steal money. Dirty mattresses is another issue for Basudev.
A few miles away is another night shelter run by the same NGO but this space is exclusively for children.
A young boy Anil Kumar, who helps caretaker Dev Kumar with household chores, says, “I love this place. It is my home and I am here since seven years. I go to a nearby school. We get different facilities here like TV, filtered water and two meals.”
The night shelter at Kabutar Market, Park No 5, near Jama Masjid, operated by Sur Nirman Educational and Cultural Society, is home to Shabnam, her husband and their child. Her husband is a rickshaw-puller and an alcoholic.
That they have to pay Rs.5 to use toilets, which are dirty, is something Shabnam doesn't appreciate.
At another night shelter facility only for women, managed by Aman Biradiri, a night shelter facility for women, around 30 women and 20 kids troop in everyday. The shelter provides them food at night. Care taker Monica Sharma said, “The number of women varies everyday. Some of them abuse drugs, fight with each other but we can't refuse them entry as we have a responsibility towards the homeless.”
Bano Khatun, who comes here daily to sleep, worries about her daughter's safety. “People go mad after drinking and they can do anything after that. The city, in any case, is very unsafe for women so it's better that we have such spaces.
The occupants at SPYM in Nizamuddin Basti have similar stories to share. Sanjay, a beggar, laments about the sanitation. He says, he has seen people urinating on their mattresses as they feel lazy to walk up to the urinal in the night. Not the biting cold, here the occupants have several other issues like violence and alcohol to settle.
