New Delhi: A round-the-clock control room has been made operational from December 15 to receive feedback and complaints pertaining to night shelters in the national capital.
Delhi's Lt Governor Najeeb Jung has directed the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) to ensure that 800 litres of water is supplied on a daily basis to all the night shelters.
He also asked the Secretaries and Senior-most officers of the Delhi government to carry out regular inspections of night shelters through December and January, said a L-G House official.
DUSIB has been also directed to ensure that toilets are clean and to draw out a roster of inspections of toilets. Jung directed DUSIB to double the sanitation staff for cleaning toilets at shelters homes.
Health Secretary was directed to monitor the visit of doctors and mobile clinics to night shelters. Currently, water in 130 night shelters is being supplied by DJB through water tankers, whereas in 79 it is being supplied through pipelines. The Lt Governor directed DJB to carry out inspection of water facilities in Night shelters, with submission of a report to him.
Presently, there are 219 night shelters being run in permanent structures, porta cabins, temporary tents, and community halls with a capacity of over 15,000 people, the official said.
However, not all night shelters are optimally being used and people continue to sleep in the cold. The Lt Governor appealed to the citizens, NGOs, other philanthropists to encourage people sleeping outside to make use of these facilities. He also said that philanthropists willing to help must contact Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB). “If there are any lacunae found in any of the night shelters, the citizens can directly inform the Raj Niwas,” said Jung.
