At least 106 people – most of them homeless – have died in Delhi as of 19 January due to extreme cold, a report compiled by the Centre for Holistic Development (CHD), a non-governmental organisation, has claimed.
The CHD has written a letter, containing the detailed report, to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who is also the chairperson of the Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB), requesting that he make proper arrangements for such people during winters. The Quint has accessed a copy of the letter.
Sunil Kumar Aledia from the CHD has also claimed in the letter that 32 homeless people were found COVID-positive in one of the shelter homes.
'No Deaths Due to Cold': DUSIB Officials Deny Report
Officials from the DUSIB, meanwhile, have denied the findings of the report, and have said that no deaths had occurred due to the cold weather.
"There have been no deaths due to cold. However, fatalities among homeless people due to other issues, such as accidents, diseases, alcohol, and drug-related problems, do take place, but the DUSIB does not maintain such data," an official told news agency PTI, on the condition of anonymity.
What Does the CHD Report Say?
The report prepared by the CHD claims that 106 people have died between 1 January and 19 January due to cold conditions.
"Amid the cold weather in Delhi, 106 people, including 96 men and nine women, have died in Delhi till 19 January," the NGO said in its report.
North Delhi district recorded the maximum number of deaths (33), according to the report. Meanwhile, Northwest Delhi recorded 13 fatalities, Southwest and Central Delhi reported nine deaths each, and West Delhi and New Delhi reported eight deaths each.
"These are homeless people who spend their nights out in the open, on the roadside, or outside shops. Most of the deaths occurred due to the cold conditions this month," Aledia said.
"A large number of homeless people are often seen outside the Bangla Saheb Rain Basera Complex Traffic Training Park. In the last few days, 155 people out of 370 were tested for COVID-19 in this complex. Later, it was found that 32 homeless people were COVID-positive," the report further said.
The CHD said that a DUSIB survey in 2014 had identified 16,760 homeless people in Delhi.
"If we look at the shelter homes in Delhi on the basis of these figures, then this number itself is huge, which violates the National Livelihood Mission's Shelter Home Standard and Corona Rules for Urban Homeless (NULM-SUH-2014)," the report claimed, adding that the actual number of homeless people who sleep on the roadside is more than a lakh.
The CHD said it had been informing the Delhi government about the lack of proper shelter homes for the homeless in the national capital for the past several years.
"Every year, the case of homeless persons' deaths has been coming to you. However, it is rejected by the government. The Delhi Police and the Home Ministry have been collecting these figures," the CHD said.
How Many Shelter Homes Are There in Delhi?
According to DUSIB data, Delhi currently has 308 shelter homes, including permanent buildings, temporary buildings, portacabins, and tents. These can shelter 9,330 homeless people.
What Is the Current Occupancy in These Shelter Homes?
As per the latest data, around 8,300 homeless people have been spending their nights in these shelter homes.
However, a survey conducted by the CHD found out that a large number of people were sleeping in the open around the Kashmiri Gate, Yamuna Pusta, Nigam Bodh Ghat, Jamuna Bazaar, Chandni Chowk, Delhi Gate, Asaf Ali Road, Jama Masjid, Azadpur, Okhla, Badli, Kingsway Camp, Nizammuddin and Sarai Kale Khan, said Aledia.
What Does the Delhi Police Have to Say?
A senior Delhi Police official said that while not all deaths could be attributed to the cold, the number of deaths among homeless people suffering from medical issues does increase during winters.
"Despite the initiatives taken and the availability of shelter homes, there is no denial about the death of homeless people due to cold. But these are those who sleep on the railway tracks, carts, roadsides, outside shops... this happens despite all agencies working together to save such people," the officer was quoted as saying by PTI.
According to the India Meteorological Department, Delhi has reported one of the longest cold spells this January, with the maximum temperature being lower than normal since the second week of the month.
What's the Source of the Data?
The CHD procured the data from Zonal Integrated Police Network, also called the ZIPNet project, which the Union Home Ministry had started in 2014.
More About the CHD
The NGO CHD consists of lawyers, policy researchers, and volunteers. They analyse government policies and then prepare ground reports to identify gaps for effective implementation.
(With inputs from PTI.)
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)