SC asks states, UTs to list number of homeless persons, facilities for winter

The Supreme Court has asked states and union territories (UTs) to file affidavits giving details of the number of homeless persons and how they plan to accommodate them during winter. “Taking into consideration the larger issue involved in this matter, we request R Venkatramani, Attorney General of India to assist this court,” a Bench led by Justice BR Gavai said.

“Considering the importance of the matter and the urgency involved, the secretaries of the concerned departments in the state/UTs may ensure that appropriate affidavits with all relevant information(s), as directed, are duly filed before the next date of hearing,” the Bench said, posting the matter for further hearing on December 19.

While hearing a PIL filed by ER Kumar and another petitioner, the top court asked the states and UTs to furnish details of the facilities available for accommodating persons without shelter, the number of persons who can be accommodated in such facilities, the estimated number of persons requiring such facilities and how they planned to deal with a situation where more shelters were needed.

In its December 4 order, the Bench directed the Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB) to file a similar affidavit. It also asked the DUSIB to specify if persons living in temporary shelters at Yamuna Pushta and Sarai Kale Khan had been accommodated.

On behalf of the petitioner, advocate Prashant Bhushan told the Bench that there was inadequacy of shelters and the condition of many of the shelters was not good. He said the total capacity of shelters across Delhi was only 17,000 even as the required number was more than two lakh. As the Bench told the Attorney General that since the relevant scheme lapsed in 2018, it had not been renewed and the aspect of funding from the Centre also needed to be looked at, Venkataramani said that a new scheme was being proposed.

The Bench suggested that assistance from corporate houses could be sought under the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) scheme.