Gurugram: The Gurugram district administration has formed a team under a subdivision magistrate to prevent homeless people from being found sleeping in the open at night.
Gurugram Deputy Commissioner Nishant Kumar Yadav, who visited at least eight night shelters on Tuesday night, said the SDM in charge of each area would be held accountable if people were found sleeping outdoors. said. The team will also investigate the theft and hygiene issues that force many homeless people to sleep outdoors on frigid nights. The authorities also said they would not ask people coming to night shelters to show identification.
The teams will check the condition of the facilities at 12 night shelters in the city to make sure no one is forced to sleep outside, officials said.
DC also directed the team to put up banners and storerooms around night shelters and in public areas so the homeless can see information about them. “The node officers in each area go out every night to check if anyone is sleeping outside. will be provided,” said Yadav.
Many homeless people were found sleeping outside train stations, markets, and bus stops during a surprise search in Washington, D.C. on Tuesday night. Vehicles were then arranged to move to night shelters. Yadav asked authorities to ensure that all his CCTV cameras installed in his night shelter are functioning and that recordings are kept for at least 30 days.
Yadav also reviewed the facilities offered to inmates in night shelters and solicited feedback from those spending the night in these facilities. “We have assigned senior staff to each night shelter. They will be responsible for its maintenance and sanitation, ensuring that there is sufficient bedding for those who need it,” he said.
DC also passed an order to create a separate women’s night shelter at the main bus stand. “We also arranged fresh hot food from nearby restaurants for inmates in night shelters near the bus station. These people need to work hard during the day and be comfortable at night. Therefore, we should not face difficulties,” Yadav said.
Extra Deputy Commissioner Vishwas Kumar Meena said special attention will be paid to cleanliness. “There are enough blankets stored in the night shelters, so no one comes back with no blankets,” he said.
The deputy commissioner said he is also coordinating with gurdwaras and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) for proper arrangements for meals in night shelters.
Until early 2016, Gurugram City had only two permanent night shelters. Kanhai Community Center and Bhim Nagar, which was formerly operated as a dog shelter. At that time, his six decommissioned buses on Haryana Roadway were also converted into temporary night shelters. In late 2016, the Gurugram Municipal Corporation (MCG) introduced a portable night shelter, followed by three more permanent night shelters in the city over the next four years. However, civil agency data on the number of homeless in Gurugram are not available.
Apart from the 12 night shelters in the district, the Community Center at Harijan Colony in Manesar and Agrawal Dharamshala in Sona also provide night shelters for the homeless.
DC also said it would seek police help to deploy police control room vehicles outside night shelters.
Sources say people living in night shelters have told DC about thefts that are routinely practiced at night shelters. “We wash and dry our clothes outside, but they have gone missing more than once. There have been 20 reported thefts in the past week. We have CCTV cameras but they are not working,” said Sandeep Kumar, 32, a Biwani salesman who works in the Sadar Bazar area.
Another man who spends the night at a night center in Bim Nagar said he gets the same food every day. “We have been eating the same menu of lentils, vegetables, chapattis and rice. If the government pays for our meals, we should be given different menus from time to time,” said Daulat, a day laborer.・Lam (27) said.
