Warm winters

December is a busy month for architect Ekesh Desai and a few entrepreneur friends,for they have an alternative work-finding the homeless and providing blankets and jackets to them.

December is a busy month for architect Ekesh Desai and a few entrepreneur friends,for they have an alternative work finding the homeless and providing blankets and jackets to them. Their trust,Shreemanu Grih Trust,formed three years ago provide winter gear to scores every year.

Winters,especially,are difficult to live in the shanties,which hardly provides any warmth. Adjusting to their dirty and undersized clothes or tatters,scores of homeless people squat under flyovers,pavements and market sides. Its a depressing sight at night to see people struggle to keep themselves warm, says Desai.

The group includes medical practitioners,builders and civil engineers. Mumbai though doesnt get as cold as the north; they are discomforting. Besides Mumbai,we also provide blankets to the homeless in Pune and other cities in the state.

They have managed to add nearly 50 volunteers from across the country who dont seek donations. All of us are fortunately from good backgrounds; shelling out money doesnt get difficult. Its our collective contribution to the society, says one of them.

The group has given out around 500 blankets in the western suburbs of Mumbai this year. The winter hits the homeless every year,but still the problem is neglected; the authorities are caught unawares every time. This is pathetic,but we just cant keep blaming authorities. Many families have benefited in the process, says Desai.

The trust also provides medical support to severely-ill during the season. In most cases,the old men and women are at the receiving end. With no one to tend too,many succumb to the cold. We try reaching out to them and provide periodic medical care.

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