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Member of the National Human Rights Commission, Priyank Kanoongo wrote to the Delhi Chief Secretary, urging him to take urgent action to improve shelter homes in the national capital, which serve as critical facilities for vulnerable sections of society.
Kanoongo, in his letter, cited his recent visits to different shelter homes and raised 'substandard' conditions in many of the shelter homes he visited. He made an inspection visit to the shelter homes located at Roshanara Road (Sabzi Mandi), Meena Bazar, and Jama Masjid on Monday, December 30. "Unfortunately, the conditions at these shelters are deeply concerning and require urgent intervention," he wrote in his letter. Citing the conditions of a shelter home at Roshanara Road, Sabzi Mandi, he said that it had 3 bathrooms and 4 toilets, which was insufficient for the 40 inmates residing there. "The heater facility was not available within the premises. There was no common recreation space for inmates of the shelter homes," he added. He further highlighted that there were inadequate drainage facilities and poor sanitation in a shelter home at Urdu Park, Jama Masjid. Citing another shelter home in the Jama Masjid area, Kanoongo said that it had only 3 bathrooms and 8 operational toilets to accommodate 250 inmates. "Inmates have expressed serious concerns about the availability of safe drinking water, poor drainage, insufficient bedding, and a rat infestation, underscoring the urgent need for improvements to ensure their safety, dignity, and well-being," his letter reads. "The shelter is also facing a significant issue with non-functional streetlights in the area, making the environment unsafe, particularly at night," he added. He further concluded that the conditions in the inspected shelter homes are far below 'acceptable standards' and are causing significant 'distress' to the inmates, who are among the most vulnerable members of society. Earlier, after an on-site inspection of Delhi government-run shelter homes at Urdu Park, Kanoongo wrote to the CEO of the Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board, raising concerns over the night shelters allegedly being used as permanent residences by some individuals. (ANI)
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