Information submitted but sans survey

Shivani Bhakoo

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Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, January 2

The Municipal Corporation authorities, as desired by the Supreme Court of India, submitted the information regarding shelters for urban homeless, but it was “hypothetical” reportedly.

The number of people who spend their nights in the open was to be sent but since it was not “viable” to conduct such a survey during night-hours, an estimated figure has been given by the civic body authorities.

According to available information, a letter was issued by the Punjab State Urban Livelihood Mission (PSULM) to the Commissioners of the Municipal Corporations of Patiala, Ludhiana, Bathinda and Pathankot asking the Assistant Town Planners (of four zones in Ludhiana) concerned to submit a report by January 1, 2016.

The Technical Director of PSULM asked Corporation authorities to check/inspect the shelter for urban homeless and provide information and treat it “urgent”. The department had issued a similar letter in December too, but since the MC authorities failed to provide the information, a letter was sent again by the department recently.

One of the top officials in the MC said the information was sent to PSULM that three shelter homes were operational, while another was coming up in Moti Nagar.

On the issue of rapid survey of urban homeless who spend their nights in the open, the top official said: “It is not viable to conduct a survey on the population who spend nights in the open in the city. First, we will require teams, who will visit the city during night hours. Secondly, if today 100 are sleeping in the open, may be tomorrow the population will increase or decrease. Thirdly, surveys can be done on major roads/areas, but what about the population that sleeps in the open in congested areas/deserted areas/parks and other areas? We can provide just the hypothetical figure on the issue.”

Apart from the information regarding the number of shelter homes in the city and people spending nights in the open, the PSULM has also asked the MC authorities to “erect temporary night shelters near the places such as markets, railway stations and bus stations and where the number of homeless living in the open was more”. But even on this issue, arrangements have been made by the civic body.

An official with the building branch department, however, said the shelter homes, already existing in the city, remain empty except for one near Manju Theatre.

There was no fun coming up with more such homes when the poor and the needy refuse to move to shelter homes.