With the visit of HRD Minister Ganta Srinivasa Rao the night shelters for homeless in the State are likely to receive more attention.
The Minister attended the third anniversary of night shelters in the city at “Asraya” at Bhimnagar.
The HRD Minister said in his participation in a slew of programmes on Thursday the visit to the night shelter turned out to be different. Henceforth visit to shelters in other cities would be taken up.
Mr. Srinivasa Rao told the homeless that he would try for visit of the home by Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu during his stay in the city on Saturday. He released a booklet of Telugu translation of the apex court guidelines on running shelters for urban homeless.
He gave away blankets provided by president of Visakhapatnam Street Vendors Association president Dawood Khan.
In his interaction with the homeless, they urged him to grant them disabled and old age pensions, make special arrangement for medicines at KGH and provide the infirm and aged meal in the afternoon too. “Akshayapatra” is providing them dinner.
Secretary of ARTD Pragada Vasu said instead of using old buildings for night shelters new ones be allotted.
A total of 140 persons are taking shelter in the three homes in the city.
“Asraya” is the first centre to open in the city and after the bifurcation happens to be the first for the entire State.
The Bhimnagar shelter was improved with a bore-well and motor and exhaust fans. First floor was added and the two floors together account for 64 persons.
Chief Secretary I Y R Krishna Rao also visited the home and suggested improvements.
Andhra Pradesh, after Tamil Nadu, has set an example in running night shelters with announcing plans in 20 cities and towns, according to NGOs involved.
UCD Project Director Srinivasan and former corporator Vanapalli Ravi Kumar participated.
