Taking serious note of the plight of homeless people living on the streets of Delhi, the Supreme Court directed the state government to make night shelters for these people forthwith.

A bench comprising Justices Dalveer Bhandari and K S Radhakrishnan also suggested that all vacant government buildings may be used as night shelters for the time being.

The court was acting on a letter given to it by Supreme Court Commissioners Dr N C Saxena and Harsh Mander dated January 13, 2010, alleging that the Delhi government was totally indifferent to the hopeless plight of lakhs of houseless people under severe cold wave conditions.

There are only 33 shelters (17 permanent, 16 temporary) in the national capital and to make matters worse, a temporary shelter was demolished recently, the letter said, adding last year, the number of these shelters was 46.

The Commissioners sought directions from the apex court to the Delhi government, MCD, NDMC and Cantonment Board to set up at least 100 temporary night shelters within a week.

The other prayers include setting up of at least 140 permanent night shelters by December 2010 and to set up 500 community kitchens across the city providing nutritious and cheap, cooked food.

The Commissioners have also requested the apex court to direct the state government to issue AAY ration cards for homeless in the capital, valid for minimum two years, latest by March 31, 2010 and renewable, if they continue to be homeless.

The Commissioners also urged the apex court to direct these official agencies to file an affidavit, latest by February 15, giving details of the steps taken for the same.

Earlier, the apex court had pulled up the state government for its callous and indifferent attitude towards these people.

UNI