Govt asks Municipal board to provide shelter to homeless

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaMarch 29, 2020

In a bid to ensure that no section of the society is left out from the attack of coronavirus, the Urban Affairs Department had instructed all municipal Boards in the state to conduct inspection within the city to detect homeless persons sleeping outdoors in footpaths, verandahs etc and to shelter them in the night shelter which are in place in most of the districts.

It is heartening to see that the, Shillong Municipal Board had intensified the identification of the homeless in the city and have rounded up homeless persons and brought them to the Night Shelters at Filling point and Office Complex. So far 50 persons have been accommodated in the Shelter and the search for others is still going on. Since the two shelters cannot accommodated all, one building on the premises handed over to Shillong Municipal Board by GAD at Bishop Cotton Road (formerly use by BASIN Development), is being used as a temporary shelter. In view of the lockdown the homeless persons were given breakfast, lunch and dinner

Organizations like the City Gurdwara are providing Lunch whereas dinner will be provided by City Hut Dhaba and Shillong Municipal Board will continue to provide the breakfast. The District Medical & Health Officer has also deputed a team of Doctors on the 27 March 2020 for a medical check up on these homeless persons

There are as yet no homeless identified in other municipal boards but inspections are going so that no Homeless are left without shelter and treatment if required.