Despite shelter homes, destitute spend nights out in cold for alms

Sameer Singh

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, December 3

Despite the availability of free accommodation at night shelter homes, many destitute persons prefer to sleep on footpaths in the biting cold. They prefer to sleep in the open just to get alms as it is not possible at night shelter homes.

During a reality check conducted by Bathinda Tribune, it was found that a majority of the destitute persons prefer to spend nights on roadsides on a daily basis, braving the chilly weather. As a result, the shelter homes meant for them remain unoccupied in winter.

Bihari Baba, who has been putting up near the city railway station, said, “I have spent 12 years of my life here and I am quite happy. Moreover, if I go to the shelter home, people there won’t allow me to stay citing that they do not have adequate space to accommodate my luggage. I have got my own blanket. Besides, I have even put up a tarpaulin as a makeshift arrangement for spending night.”

Vinod, who spends night in the open, said, “We do not use the shelter home near the railway station. We use the footpath to spend our nights. Despite that, we were asked to vacate the place by the authorities saying repair work has to be carried out here. Nobody is ready to listen to the poor. We do not want anything, but a small area to sleep on the footpath.”

An executive member of a city-based NGO, who did not want to be named, said shelter homes were established for the needy or passengers visiting the city to avail accommodation. He said noone stops the destitute from availing the facility.

“The destitute has become smart. They spend night on the footpath so that commuters and philanthropists passing by the road can notice them and give them alms. Later, they sell these items, including woolen, jackets and blankets, received as alms in the nearby market. Thereafter, they spend the money to buy intoxicants,” he added.

Sources said there were miscreants who avail accommodation provided at shelter homes and they threaten the destitute who genuinely want to avail the facility.

The situation at the night shelter situated on the Amrik Singh road is not different as only two to three homeless persons avail of the facility, while a majority of the destitute spend night in the open.