The Supreme Court on March 28 stayed any further demolition of shelters for the urban homeless in Delhi without its permission.
A Bench led by Justice S. Ravindra Bhat issued the direction to the Delhi Urban Shelters Improvement Board (DUSIB) that runs the shelters for the urban homeless in Delhi.
The court further directed the Board to not demolish three temporary shelters at Geeta Ghat run by an organisation led by activist Harsh Mander. These are special shelters for people with tuberculosis, orthopaedic conditions, and mental disabilities.
The order came on an application filed by Dr. Mander, activist Indu Prakash Singh, and two homeless residents of Delhi. The petitioners were represented by advocates Prashant Bhushan and Cheryl Dsouza.
The court also directed the Supreme Court Shelter Management Committee (SLSMC) to conduct an immediate social audit of nine permanent shelters in the national capital, followed by an audit of all the shelters in Delhi. The SLSMC has to submit its report to the Supreme Court.
This was directed in view of the low occupancy of these permanent shelters and the petitioners’ submissions that basic facilities such as beds, mattresses, ventilation, lockers, drinking water, etc., were not available at the shelters.
The court directed the DUSIB to present a plan, at the next date of hearing, about the creation of alternative shelters in place of those that were demolished in the past.
