Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): To avert deaths and untoward health-related incidents owing to chilly single-digit temperature in Bhopal, the Rain Basera officials of the city are whisking away homeless and stray people to their nearest Rain Basera lately. The officials have emerged successful in providing shelter to majority of people, while some of them still choose to spend nights on footpaths and roadsides for their own reasons.
The Bhopal Municipal Corporation-led Rain Baseras (shelter for the poor) of Bhopal have sprung into action and are persevering in their efforts to provide a roof over the head of shelterless people, amidst cold wave blowing in the city. However, their objective fails to ferry several stray people who are indulged in drug abuse and refuse to be lodged in an enclosed space.
Bhopal currently boasts of 14 Rain Baseras, where close to 2k poor people without a roof over their heads are lodged on a daily basis. The city, however, still witnesses beggars and daily wage labourers lying on footpaths, albeit in thin numbers.
Officials in charge of the oldest Rain Basera of Bhopal, located near Sultaniya Janana hospital told Free Press that stray people, who are either beggars or daily wage labourers, and have made streets and footpaths of Bhopal their home are ferried to nearest Rain Basera located in their area, by means of a car on a daily basis.
They went on to inform that arrangements for all basic necessities are ensured at all Rain Baseras of Bhopal, which include food, washroom and sleeping arrangements. To help the poor combat chill, blankets of appropriate length are provided to them. All basic amenities being provided to the poor and the downtrodden are absolutely free-of-cost, they said.
‘Separate arrangements for the ones with family’ Official in-charge of the Rain Basera located near Sultaniya Janana hospital, Abdul Arif, told Free Press that separate arrangements for homeless families have also been provided there. He added that the Rain Basera monitored by him lodges almost 250 people on a daily basis, while 110 beds are available there.
Our objective is to not let anyone sleep without a shelter: BMC Commissioner
BMC Commissioner KVS Choudhary said on the issue that the construction of four more Rain Baseras is underway in the city and all efforts will be ensured that no one sleeps without a shelter in Bhopal.
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