192 Deaths in 9 Days: Homeless in Delhi Shelters Suffer Amid Heat Wave

From June 11 to June 19, 192 homeless people died in Delhi due to heatwave.

From June 11 to June 19, 192 homeless people died in Delhi; source: The Centre for Holistic Development (CHD).

(Photo: The Quint/Zijah Sherwani)

As Delhi experiences a dramatic rise in its temperature, the homeless living in the city’s DUSIB (Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board) shelters are living in inhabitable conditions. The loudest cries can be heard of the shelters administered by the NGO Sofia.

A homeless lady in a DUSIB shelter, hopeful of a better life.

(Photo: The Quint)

Coolers kept at a corner of the shelter, nonfunctional and rusting.

(Photo: The Quint)

The Centre for Holistic Development (CHD) issued a report on Wednesday, June 19, which says that 192 homeless people died in Delhi during the heatwave between June 11 and June 19.

The Quint’s ground reportage unearthed the possible reasons.

“The tin radiates so much heat that the shelter becomes a heat chamber”, said a 15-year old boy living in a Sofia-administered DUSIB shelter near Jama Masjid.

According to the latest reports, 103 out of a total of 195 DUSIB shelters in Delhi are tin made porta cabins.

Neither the coolers, nor the fans are functioning properly. They have just been issued on paper. The bedsheets are unbearably hot, and the staff have no access to even the basic amenities, they are forced to sit outside in heat.

Resident of the shelter

Another resident further added, “How will the coolers run when we do not have adequate water supply?” During the reportage, the coolers were seen kept at a corner of the shelter, nonfunctional and rusting. “The kids keep crying inside, little do they care if we live or die”, said the anguished residents.

A wash basin, with no access to water supply, full of dry leaves. 

(Photo: The Quint)

Advocate Kawalpreet Kaur, who filed a petition in the Delhi High Court against the “shortage of basic amenities” in the Sofia administered DUSIB shelters told The Quint, “Since 2010, this is a statutory act, and the Government has to provide these facilities. As it is failing to do so, ‘who should be held accountable?’ is a question that the court now needs to address.”

Besides, the residents of the Sofia administered shelters alleged “serious corruption” in the Sofia NGO. “They have registered fake names of employees in the roster, the salaries go into their pockets”, said a staff member. Another resident accused, “They have confiscated the debit cards of the employees along with all the security credentials. Thus, despite transferring the legal salary to the employees’ bank accounts, they withdraw the money and hand over only a partial amount to the employees; the remaining is kept by the Sofia NGO officials.”

The anguished kids cry in unbearable heat.

(Photo: The Quint)

The broken roof has not been fixed for months even after multiple complaints.

(Photo: The Quint)

While the 2011 census recorded the number of homeless people in Delhi as 47,076, independent studies report it to be between 2,00,000 to 2,50,000. With that being said, the DUSIB shelters are crucial to the lives of a large but vulnerable section of Delhi's population.