Homeless now have a roof during monsoon thanks to Chennai Corporation initiative

C Shivakumar

Chennai:

Homeless in Chennai could be rest assured to have a roof above their head during the monsoon under The Shelter for Homeless Initiative by Chennai Corporation and the civil society.

The 21 homeless shelters, which sprang up in and around the city after the intervention of Supreme Court, are much in demand during the monsoon and civil society feels the Chennai Corporation should expand it further to 100 within a time frame to cater to the homeless population.

As the monsoon has set in there are more homeless people who are availing this facility in and around the city. “On Monday we had identified 20 homeless people and provided them with shelter managed by SIGA near Beach railway Station,” said city level coordinator for Chennai Corporation Clement David.

Interestingly, this initiative was started two years ago with only 15 shelters but there were several gaps in implementation, said Clement.

The shelters got a new lease of life in June this year with effective implementation under the Shelter for Homeless Initiative by Chennai Corporation after signing a memorandum of understanding with 21 civil society organisations, says Clement.

Interestingly, these shelters are exclusively for the homeless and volunteers keep track of them. “It should not be a drive to forcefully clear off the homeless from the street. It has dignity component. It should not be forceful and should not have confinement component,” says independent policy researcher Vanessa, who has been active in demanding shelter for homeless during the last nine years.

Currently, the shelters have been classified into seven groups catering to different sections. Care and protection or residential school for children, shelter for persons with psycho social disabilities, single women shelter, single men shelter, family shelters and elderly shelters. “The Chennai Corporation still don’t have a recovery shelter for pallative care and communicable diseases,” rues Vanessa.

The residential school (as per the guidelines of Supreme court children should not be confined in shelters but they rather should be in residential schools) in the city have also been a glimmer of hope for vulnerable children in street who are left unprotected. The Amanmayyam Rainbow Home is a cosy nest for the 37 children whose parents have left them in safe hands. “We have already got 10 children during the monsoon,” says Kruthika of Vanavil Illangalin Kootamaippu. Run by Sarva Siksha Abhiyaan and infrastructure provided by Chennai Corporation, this home for shelterless children have helped nurture their dreams for the future.

“I want to be a doctor,” says Sivaranjini, a class IV student while her sister Venilla, who aspires to be an engineer looks on. “Their mother who lives near the Chennai Central station has handed them over to us as she could not take care of them and is concerned for their safety during the monsoon,” says Anju, the home manager.

“The biggest challenge the civil society faces is that they have to win the confidence of the homeless community so that the children and adults could be rehabilitated,” says Vanessa, adding that it doesn’t happen overnight.

Interestingly, Chennai Corporation is currently renovation seven shelters besides finalizing two more to the list of 21 shelters. “We are providing them with identity cards besides working towards getting them old age pension and widow pension,” says Palaniandi, coordinator for Shelter for Urban Homeless run by Surabhi Trust in Kellys that was opened few months ago. “We have 37 homeless people besides four families and they come from Pattalam, Otteri, Doveton, Kilpauk Garden and various other places,” says Palaniandi.