Latest News | NGO Claims 474 Homeless Perished in Delhi Winter
Get latest articles and stories on Latest News at LatestLY. An NGO on Saturday claimed that at least 474 homeless people in Delhi have died due to "winter exposure" between November 15, 2024, and January 10, 2025.
New Delhi, Jan 11 (PTI) An NGO on Saturday claimed that at least 474 homeless people in Delhi have died due to "winter exposure" between November 15, 2024, and January 10, 2025.
The claim made by Centre for Holistic Development (CHD), an NGO working for the welfare of homeless, however, has no official confirmation.
In a letter addressed to Delhi Chief Secretary Dharmendra and Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB) Chief Executive Officer Ravi Dhawan, CHD cited police statistics, indicating that an alarming 80 per cent of "unidentified dead bodies" in the city are believed of homeless individuals.
"Between November 15 2024 to January 10, 2025, 474 homeless people died in Delhi due to the 'winter exposure' and unavailability of essential protective measures such as warm clothing, blankets, or adequate shelter," the NGO claimed.
CHD also highlighted that people living on the streets face numerous health challenges, including respiratory infections, skin ailments, arthritis flare-ups, and deteriorating mental health.
"Chronic illnesses, such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and cardiovascular diseases, worsen due to freezing temperatures, increasing vulnerability to severe complications and even death," the organisation added.
It emphasised on the lack of access to basic protective measures, such as warm clothing, blankets, and adequate shelter, increasing the risk of mortality among the homeless population.
"Many shelters in the city are unable to meet the demand and those that are available often lack essential facilities like heating and hot water, leaving individuals exposed to the cold," the letter read.
The NGO urged authorities to increase shelter capacity, provide essential services such as hot water and warm clothing, and address the underlying causes of homelessness through inclusive housing policies and comprehensive support services. PTI SHB
(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)