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Jagran correspondent, New Delhi. The Delhi High Court on Wednesday raised questions on the Delhi government and its agencies on a matter related to lack of facilities in night shelters. A bench of Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyay and Justice Tejas Karia said that it is the duty of the Delhi government or its agencies to provide shelter to the patients, attendants and their families who are forced to sleep outside the hospitals in the extreme cold and it cannot shy away from its responsibility.
Describing the right to shelter as a fundamental right of the citizens, the court issued several directions to the government agencies to ensure that homeless people and poor patients in Delhi get proper facilities for medical treatment. The court also said that these people are not going to hospitals of their own free will, but are being forced to go to hospitals in search of better medical facilities. In such a situation, the government cannot be allowed to refuse to provide such facilities due to lack of grants or any other resources.
The court directed the Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB) to take over the subway near the government hospitals on Wednesday evening and convert it into a night shelter. The bench directed that DUSIB officers should immediately go to the available places near the hospitals and make arrangements for tents or pandals so that immediate shelter can be provided to as many patients and their relatives as possible.
Besides, land owning agencies like Delhi Municipal Corporation, Delhi Development Authority and DUSIB were also directed to cooperate in the matter. The bench warned that failing to do so, the court may take the matter seriously and the guilty officials of these agencies may be held accountable. The bench said that this direction will also be completely applicable to Delhi Police and Delhi Metro Rail Corporation.
During the hearing, standing counsel Ashish Dixit, appearing for the central government, told the bench that on Tuesday night he had personally visited the night shelters in and around AIIMS and had prepared a note with some suggestions. Dixit also submitted to the court some photographs of the subway and people sleeping in the open near AIIMS.
The court made the above comment while hearing a PIL initiated on its own on the issue of lack of facilities in night shelters. The court had taken cognizance of a news report and sought a reply at the last hearing. According to the report, many patients and their families who had come to Delhi for treatment at AIIMS were sleeping under the open sky.
Instructions for meeting today under the chairmanship of Chief District Judge
Along with this, the court directed to hold a meeting on Thursday under the chairmanship of the Principal District Judge of Southern District to meet the current needs, in which a short-term plan will be made to be implemented from Thursday itself.
The bench said that this meeting will be attended by senior officials of All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Safdarjung Hospital, Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, Lady Hardinge Medical College, Delhi Police, DUSIB, DDA and all other concerned parties. The court directed the Principal District Judge to prepare a note and present it on the next date through the Registrar General of the High Court.