Northern winds may further bring the temperature down by 2-3 degrees Celsius
A cold wave has gripped the central state of Madhya Pradesh. Winter has set in a bit late this year, but temperatures have dropped drastically since last week because of the cold wave.
Bhopal has been recording minimum temperatures between 6-10 degree Celsius. Northern winds may further bring the temperature down by 2-3 degrees Celsius, meaning difficult days ahead for the homeless, who sleep in the open.
Eight-month-old Vikram, along with his parents, came to Bhopal four nights ago from his village in Kota, Rajasthan. They refuse to leave the footpath outside Zanana Sultania Government Hospital, where they have been sleeping, even as temperature continues to dip sharply. The pavement now their is home, instead of the municipal corporation's night shelter which is just a few metres away.
Vikram's Mother Mandra Singh, says, "We are from Rajasthan. We have come to Bhopal four days ago. We sell balloons. We don't go to night shelters as they overcharge, which we cannot afford. Also they have separate provision for men and woman which makes me feel unsafe. So we have no option but to sleep in the open."
Presently there are about 14 night shelters run by the civic body in Bhopal, which not only provide shelter but also food at nominal rates. While some feel it's unsafe, for others like daily wager Vijay Kumar, its a huge respite from the biting cold.
Vijay says, "I am a daily wager from Indore. I keep hopping between Indore and Bhopal, between work and family. The facilities at the
rain basera are quite good. Because of it, I can now travel without any tension of lodging in Bhopal."
Taking a cue from the Supreme Court order in 2010, the Madhya Pradesh High Court directed the state government to construct night shelters for the homeless. Today some even have television sets, and can accommodate over a thousand people. But clearly, there is need for more night shelters and better monitoring, so that homeless are not hesitant to stay in them.
Jang Mohammad, care taker of the Nadra Night Shelter says, "The problem we face is that at times there are more people who come to us than we cannot accommodate. We cannot take them in. They are forced to sleep outside."