DCW notice over shortcomings in night shelters

Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) chief Swati Maliwal on Tuesday issued notice to the director of night shelter, run by the Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB), over certain anomalies, a DCW official said.

The notice to T.K. Meena, director, night shelter of DUSIB, was issued after Maliwal, along with DCW member Sarika Chaudhary and two volunteers, visited three night shelters in Nizamuddin and Jama Masjid areas in the national capital on October 10, the official said.

Several anomalies like lack of potable water and toilets were noticed during her visit to the night shelters.

Maliwal had also found the night shelters extremely unsafe for women and came to know that many children had gone missing from there.

In her notice issued to the director of night shelter, Maliwal wrote: "Several glaring anomalies in the functioning of the night shelters were observed. Please provide a detailed point-wise status report which should include the steps that will be taken to improve the situation."

She also sought information regarding the preparations of DUSIB for the approaching winter and also asked for a list of temporary night shelters that DUSIB was planning to setup during winter.

"Please provide the details of all women and family night shelters in Delhi along with complete address and capacity. Also detail the additional arrangements which is planned by DUSIB for homeless women and children during the forthcoming winter season," she wrote in the letter.

Maliwal also issued notice to the SHO Jama Masjid police station in connection with the complaint of children gone missing from a night shelter in the area.

"Provide the number of complaints received for missing children along with the copies of First Information Report. Also inform about the status of each complaint and mention whether the child has been recovered or not," she wrote in the letter to the Jama Masjid station house officer.