Madurai
In the wake of the spread of COVID -19 across the country, there is a need to provide proper shelters with adequate food and healthcare facilities for the homeless people in the city, for at least the next two weeks, say activists and social workers.
The homeless, who have very poor access to food, shelter and basic hygiene, are vulnerable to COVID - 19 infection, says G.R. Sivakumar, Director of Idhayam Trust, a non-governmental organisation involved in the rescue of abandoned elderly in the city.
“Due to lack of access to public facilities, most of the homeless in the city have not taken a bath in many days. Many of them are not even aware of the safety practices that they need to adopt regarding COVID- 19. Hence, it is important that officials rehabilitate them to prevent the possibility of the transmission of COVID- 19 infections,” he says.
V.P. Manikandan, an activist, says that among the homeless found in the city, most of them are aged above 60 years and have various ailments. “They have a weak immune system and are easily susceptible to be infected,” he says.
The officials must rehabilitate and quarantine them as a precautionary measure to prevent the possible spread of COVID -19, says Mr. Sivakumar.
With the help of the volunteers, officials must identify the spots across the city where the homeless people are present and rescue them immediately, says V. Ramachandran, policy researcher, Information and Resource Centre for the Deprived Urban Communities.
“For instance, in Madurai, the homeless are usually found at the railway station, MGR bus stand, Mariamman Teppakulam, Palanganatham and Arapalayam,” he says.
Activists point out that after rescuing them, the homeless can be rehabilitated at the Corporation schools, community halls, marriage halls or at old Madurai Corporation buildings in the city where adequate toilet and drinking water facilities are available.
“They must also provide food and medical kits for the homeless at these shelters for at least the next 15 days,” he says.
Mr. Sivakumar requests that philanthropists can give away some abandoned building as a shelter for the homeless for the next two days.
Collector T.G. Vinay says that there are urban shelters for the homeless in the city, which are under the purview of the civic body. In addition, there are old age homes run by the Social Welfare Department. “We will instruct the officials and take necessary action,” he says.
Corporation Commissioner S. Visakan says that he will inspect the places where the homeless are found and adds that he had instructed the health officials to sensitise the abandoned regarding safe handwashing practices. “The civic body has also set up water syntaxes and has provided soaps at public places,” he says.
