Despite cold wave, homeless people in Ambala Cantt continue to live in open

Tribune News Service

Nitish Sharma

Ambala, January 28

Despite the intense cold wave and availability of night shelters, Deepak and his three-year-old daughter are living in a small tent under a flyover in Ambala Cantt due to the fear of losing their belongings.

“My wife passed away a few months ago. I am left with my three-year-old daughter Anjali. It is tough for me to take care of the little girl in the cold conditions, but we are managing. Though a night shelter is just a few metres away, I can’t go there every night and leave my belongings here as people may steal them. Some of my stuff has already been stolen,” added Deepak.

Many others like Deepak, a ragpicker from Nepal, cited this reason for sleeping along roads and under flyovers, trying to keep warm by lighting fires. Lalchand, 62, said: “I have been living here for two years. People from night shelter come and request me spend night there, but I don’t want to go. Blankets are sufficient for me.”

Those hawking ‘desi’ medicines along the roads don’t want to shift to night shelters to protect their belongings.

Meanwhile, beds remain unoccupied at night shelters. Against the capacity of 100 people, on an average only 25-30 people, including passengers, avail the facility.

Abhishek Dhir, supervisor of a night shelter, said: “We have separate blocks for men and women, and provide them proper beds with blankets. Even those who live in the tents on footpaths can stay here, but they don’t come due to the fear of losing their belongings.”

Vijay Laxmi, secretary of Red Cross Society here, said: “We are running night shelters in Ambala city and Ambala Cantt. In Naraingarh and Barara, the night shelters are being managed by the SDMs. Around 70 people avail the facility daily. A bus has also been converted into a night shelter and parked at Ambala city bus stand for the homeless.”

Fear losing their belongings

We have separate blocks for men and women. Even those who live in the tents on footpaths can stay here every night, but they don’t come out of fear of losing their belongings. — Abhishek Dhir, night shelter supervisor

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