NNWN / New Delhi, 2017-05-20

Taking a serious note of newspaper report which said that around 100 people were rendered shelterless after the night shelter at Amir Khusro Park, bordered by Lala Lajpat Rai Marg and Lodhi Road, was demolished pursuant to a court order, Delhi High Court asked the AAP government as to how are shelter homes being constructed in green belts? The court raised the query in relation to a shelter home that was located inside the Amir Khusro Park in south Delhi and was demolished two days ago pursuant to its order. A bench of Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice Pratibha M Singh also asked the Delhi government about the steps it was taking to ensure there were adequate shelters for homeless people in the city. “The Government of NCT of Delhi shall inform this court also as to why steps are not being taken to ensure that adequate shelters are provided to all the homeless in Delhi and how green belts can be converted into shelter homes in violation of the law,” it said. The high court has appointed one of its Registrars, Lorren Bamniyal, as amicus curiae to inspect the area and submit a report before May 22, the next date of hearing. Amicus curiae’s job is to confirm that adequate shelter has been made available to the occupants of the demolished night shelter at Amir Khusro Park.  “Let photographs of the shelter home where the occupants have been accommodated and facilities made available be taken by the Local Commissioner and placed before us. The respondents (authorities) shall make available the photographer and bear its expenses,” the bench said.

An NGO moved the court a day after the shelter home was demolished. The NGO in its plea sought rehabilitation of the people who were rendered homeless.The NGO had said the shelter housed 50-60 children and around 60 women, who were left homeless after the demolition carried out by the authorities. The court had yesterday refused to stay the demolition of the shelter or order its rebuilding without hearing the authorities.It had, however, directed the authorities to ensure that all the homeless were accommodated in another shelter home situated in the vicinity.