JOIN USThe Supreme Court on Monday asked different state governments to ensure that no homeless person died due to prevailing cold conditions in northern parts of the country.
Maintaining that the life of the people has to be preserved and protected, a bench of Justices Dalveer Bhandari and Dipak Misra asked the respective state governments to provide shelter homes with the minimum facilities of drinking water, food, bedding, toilets and medicines to the distressed people.
The bench expressed its revulsion over the media reports of poor patients were spending their nights in toilets in the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) and scores others sleeping on pavements in the national capital. “Our heart bleeds when we see homeless persons sleeping without roof in this winter. You can't permit your own children to die in winter,” the bench said.
Appearing for Delhi government, Additional Solicitor General Mohan Parasaran submitted that the night shelter at AIIMS was demolished owing to security reasons. He, however, assured that temporary shelter homes would be constructed. “You are quick in demolishing instead of constructing. It is a serious problem. It must not happen any more,” the bench said.