A 'news' report connects statistics of unidentified
bodies and homelessness. The statistics are two years
old and the most tangible basis of the connection,
made a year ago, seems to be that the NGO of a police
officer counting the former had assumed charge of the
latter. The timing of the two year old 'news' is
striking because the operation to render people
homeless, at its ugliest in Vijayghat Pushta, is being
run there from the premise where this NGO is housed.
Text of the report is below. Some previous posts about
NGO concern for the homeless are accessible from:
http://www.delhiscienceforum.org/dmp2021/documents/A_NS.htm
----
Daily Pioneer,16.04.04:
Unidentified body count up by 700 in two years: Study
Staff Reporter/ New Delhi
The Delhi Police provided a horrifying figure of 3,040
unidentified dead bodies (UDBs) for the year 2002. In
the years 2000 and 2001, the the figures were 2,407
and 2,348 respectively showing an increase of 700 in
two years. The main reason for the above could be the
rising number of homeless and the complete disregard
for their lives.
In a study, Amod Kanth, an Indian Police Service (IPS)
officer, has found that generally homeless people are
disposed off as dead without any identity or address
by the police. There are about 4 million marginalised
people in Delhi's population of 14 million. This
includes slum dwellers who live under most difficult
situations.
A recent survey suggests that there are 4,00,000
street and working children and 1,40,000 homeless
including beggars. The number of homeless may range
between 8 to 10 lakh, says Kanth, who has been
associated with destitutes and homeless through his
Non Governmental Organisation (NGO), Prayas.
A detailed study conducted by Aashray Adhikar Abhiyan
(AAA) indicates that for the counted 52,765 homeless
(June 2000), the total capacity of the night shelters
was 2,601.There were 19 "raen baseras" (night
shelters) in Delhi which acommodated 5,044 which
dwindled to 12 reducing the capacity to 2,454. 10,500
homeless people are found in about 25 concentration
areas all over Delhi, excluding Walled City and Old
City, as stated by a recent survey in March 2003.
The homeless encounter problems like lack of shelter
and personal space, absence of civic facilities,
sexual exploitation of women, insecurity of earnings
and savings, victimisation by anti-social elements and
harassment by police. According to the Joint Apex
Committee survey, 82 shelters were suggested to be
created, closure to the working and habitation places
of nearly 4,100 homeless people. Following Chief
Minister Sheila Dikshit's direction to the Divisional
Commissioner's office a proposal of about Rs 25 lakh
was considered.There was 100% occupancy during the
peak season in the 22 temporary shelters, created
during winter 2002-03 which were removed on February
25 on a verbal order that the cold is over. New Delhi
Municipal Council (NDMC) has created a model shelter
for 300 women and children with an expenditure of Rs
50 lakh which has been approved by the council.The
slum & JJ wing of the MCD opened its 5 community
centers creating space for nearly 500 people. Temples
and gurudwaras too are always full of destitute
people. AAA has been conducting the Health
Intervention Group (HIG) programme with the people in
Jama Masjid area for the last 2 years
__________________________________
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Yahoo! Photos: High-quality 4x6 digital prints for 25¢
http://photos.yahoo.com/ph/print_splash
bodies and homelessness. The statistics are two years
old and the most tangible basis of the connection,
made a year ago, seems to be that the NGO of a police
officer counting the former had assumed charge of the
latter. The timing of the two year old 'news' is
striking because the operation to render people
homeless, at its ugliest in Vijayghat Pushta, is being
run there from the premise where this NGO is housed.
Text of the report is below. Some previous posts about
NGO concern for the homeless are accessible from:
http://www.delhiscienceforum.org/dmp2021/documents/A_NS.htm
----
Daily Pioneer,16.04.04:
Unidentified body count up by 700 in two years: Study
Staff Reporter/ New Delhi
The Delhi Police provided a horrifying figure of 3,040
unidentified dead bodies (UDBs) for the year 2002. In
the years 2000 and 2001, the the figures were 2,407
and 2,348 respectively showing an increase of 700 in
two years. The main reason for the above could be the
rising number of homeless and the complete disregard
for their lives.
In a study, Amod Kanth, an Indian Police Service (IPS)
officer, has found that generally homeless people are
disposed off as dead without any identity or address
by the police. There are about 4 million marginalised
people in Delhi's population of 14 million. This
includes slum dwellers who live under most difficult
situations.
A recent survey suggests that there are 4,00,000
street and working children and 1,40,000 homeless
including beggars. The number of homeless may range
between 8 to 10 lakh, says Kanth, who has been
associated with destitutes and homeless through his
Non Governmental Organisation (NGO), Prayas.
A detailed study conducted by Aashray Adhikar Abhiyan
(AAA) indicates that for the counted 52,765 homeless
(June 2000), the total capacity of the night shelters
was 2,601.There were 19 "raen baseras" (night
shelters) in Delhi which acommodated 5,044 which
dwindled to 12 reducing the capacity to 2,454. 10,500
homeless people are found in about 25 concentration
areas all over Delhi, excluding Walled City and Old
City, as stated by a recent survey in March 2003.
The homeless encounter problems like lack of shelter
and personal space, absence of civic facilities,
sexual exploitation of women, insecurity of earnings
and savings, victimisation by anti-social elements and
harassment by police. According to the Joint Apex
Committee survey, 82 shelters were suggested to be
created, closure to the working and habitation places
of nearly 4,100 homeless people. Following Chief
Minister Sheila Dikshit's direction to the Divisional
Commissioner's office a proposal of about Rs 25 lakh
was considered.There was 100% occupancy during the
peak season in the 22 temporary shelters, created
during winter 2002-03 which were removed on February
25 on a verbal order that the cold is over. New Delhi
Municipal Council (NDMC) has created a model shelter
for 300 women and children with an expenditure of Rs
50 lakh which has been approved by the council.The
slum & JJ wing of the MCD opened its 5 community
centers creating space for nearly 500 people. Temples
and gurudwaras too are always full of destitute
people. AAA has been conducting the Health
Intervention Group (HIG) programme with the people in
Jama Masjid area for the last 2 years
__________________________________
Do you Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Photos: High-quality 4x6 digital prints for 25¢
http://photos.yahoo.com/ph/print_splash