2 min readNew DelhiMar 27, 2014 09:04 AM IST
First published on: Mar 27, 2014 at 01:12 AM IST
Unhappy with the “inadequate and inhuman” amount of space allocated to each person in night shelters planned by the Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB), the Delhi High Court has once again summoned the DUSIB CEO Amar Nath.
The court of Acting Chief Justice B D Ahmed and Justice Sidharth Mridul summoned the CEO of the civic body after taking note of a status report filed by the DUSIB which showed that a mere 15 sqft had been allocated per person in the floor plans for night shelters.
“This comes down to merely 5ft by 3 ft or 6 ft by 21/2 ft (per person). How is anyone supposed to sleep in such a small space?” the court asked, while comparing the provisions made in “galley ships used to transport slaves from Africa to Europe in the past”. “This is inhuman,” the court said.
The bench also expressed anger after the lawyer representing the DUSIB argued that the dimensions were the same as those of a sleeping berth in trains of the Indian railways.
“Why is there no provision for any space to move around or passages between spaces allocated for each person?” the court asked, adding that human beings “seem to be expected to be packed like sardines”.
The court also dismissed the DUSIB’s argument that most of its shelters were not being used. “They are not being using it because you have not provided enough space for people to sleep,” the court said.
Meanwhile, the High Court bench of Justice Manmohan directed the Delhi government and DUSIB to provide a dedicated room for medical examination of pregnant women in the dedicated night shelter for women at Paharganj.
The direction comes on plea filed by a woman whose child had died last year due to the cold.
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