Shelter homes more of a menace

ALLAHABAD: While the city grapples with severe cold, Allahabad Municipal Corporation has failed to quite keep up. There are many temporary and permanent shelter homes in various parts of the city but they lack in facilities.Thankfully, District magistrate Sanjay Kumar has rapped the knuckles of municipal officers recently and they are trying to streamline things at the shelter homes.Talking to TOI, environmental engineer Sanjeev Pradhan said, “ We are taking necessary steps for providing all kinds of amenties at the shelter homes. In fact, white-washing of some shelter homes is being undertaken. We have purchased about 100 gaddas (mattresses) and are in the process of buying another 200 blankets. This will soon be provided to the shelter homes.”There are about 21 permanent and temporary shelter homes functioning in the city. Out of these, 11 are permanent shelter homes operational at Leader Road, Noorullah Road in front of Allahabad junction, Mundera Chungi, Lakar Mandi, Khuldabad, Yamuna Bank Road, Baghambar Gaddi Road, Allahpur zonal office, Daraganj station, Daraganj ward office and Phaphamau. There are about 10 temporary shelter homes that have been set up including All Saints Cathedral in Civil Lines, PD Tandon Park, CMP Degree College, Heera Halwai, Laxmi Talkies, Sohbaitabagh, Teliarganj and Naini. A reality check by the TOI showed a lot needs to be done. The Leader Road Shelter home near the railway junction and Leader Bus Depot is enough representation of the condition of these homes. There is no sanitary staff to clean the home and its toilets. Pan-stains mark the walls of the two-tier structure. Tattered gaddas (mattresses) have been spread in the room. A kitchen was also made in this shelter house during the Kumbh Mela but this kitchen is seldom used and now has been turned into a store where unwanted items are being dumped. However, there is a wash basin which has 24-hour water supply which is of no use for the people frequenting this place. Funnily, the tube well that has been installed hasn’t been connected to the bathroom or the toilet.The toilet stinks as no arrangements have been made to keep it clean. Incharge of the shelter home says, “There is no sanitary staff and we have to make arrangements for cleaning. There are about 25 blankets at the shelter home and the same number of gaddas.” About 15 new gaddas have reportedly been added but those were nowhere to be seen. Similar is the condition of the Allahpur shelter home which is devoid of proper facilities. The sanitary condition is as poor. Blankets, gadda and old and shouldn’t be used at all. Corporator of AMC, Shiv Sewak Singh, said adequate arrangements should be made so that poor people can rest in temporary shelters.