While we continue to complain about the rising temperature, rain flooding the city, and the chilly weather in Pune, marginalised communities, including the Pardhis, beggars, and migrant workers continue to live in the worst possible conditions on the city roads. And, with no place to call their own, they sleep on footpaths, under metro bridges, and even on dividers across the city.
The dire situation not only exposes them to several hazards but also poses a significant risk of accidents, especially for those sleeping on dividers.
While speaking with the Free press Journal, these people expressed their frustration. Members of the Pardhi community even have voiced their willingness to obtain voter IDs and voiced their demand for housing solutions, indicating their need for basic shelter and recognition of their rights as citizens.
Ganesh Kale, a homeless person in Pune, speaking to the Free Press Journal said, "Our native place is Solapur, but we don't have any home there, so we moved to the city 20 years ago and are doing daily wages. We are not treated as humans."
He added, "We face neglect and discrimination by the government and civic bodies. Since past few years we have been staying in front of the PMC building and Congress Bhavan. But they totally ignored us, and never helped us."
He further said, "For women, it is very difficult and unsafe to bathe and change their clothes on the road as we don't have homes. They are forced to use the public toilet for it."
Lack of govt documents
Dada Pawar, who belongs to the Pardhi Community, said, "We don't have any government documents, such as Aadhar card, Pan card, and Voter ID. Around 500 Pardhi families are in the city. We also want a normal life as many other people do. Unfortunately, we cannot do so in the absence of valid documents. Our children survive on the road and footpath."
Laxman Jumbar Shinde said, "We are in hope that someday the government will do something for us. We cannot afford the rent of the flats. Shelter homes will not allow us to stay permanently. The civic body should pay attention to our requirement. We urge them to provide us a place only to stay; we will build our homes."
Meanwhile, Pune Municipal Corporation's Deputy Commissioner Nitin Ramesh Udhas, from the Social Welfare department informed that the civic body currently has four shelters for migrating workers in the city with a capacity of 200 beds each.
"These shelters offer basic necessities. Our team regularly approaches people who are living on footpaths, under bridges, or dividers. However, most of them refuse to go to the shelter homes. We are building two new shelters at Shivaji Nagar and Bhavani Peth, each with a capacity of 60 beds," Udhas added.
