The arrival of monsoon does not bring them relief from the sultry summer, but the fear of losing whatever little they own.
The arrival of monsoon does not bring them relief from the sultry summer, but the fear of losing whatever little they own.
Homeless persons, including a taxi driver, a house help, a labourer and a flower seller, gathered at the Marathi Patrakar Sangh on Thursday to share their fears before another season of monsoon misery takes over. Organised by Homeless Collective, a forum of NGOs, professionals, advocates and concerned individuals, the gathering discussed the deplorable plight of the homeless, especially in view of the state dilly-dallying on the Supreme Court directives on the issue.
Warning that the plight of the homeless was set to worsen during monsoon, activists said 77% of them live in the same place and conditions as they did before rains. “This, despite the Supreme Court directing states to shelter their homeless,” said convener Brijesh Arya, Homeless Collective, which has filed a PIL in the Bombay high court to draw attention to the glaring drawback.
More than the absence of a home, it is civic and police action that makes life difficult for the homeless like Anita Waghela, a resident of Tardeo. She said: “I sell gajras in Tardeo. Every year, the BMC harasses us. We are poor, where will we go? Why do they abuse us?”
As per the SC directives, the city of over 20 million must have a minimum of 200 shelters for the homeless. Mumbai has only six. “Also, the homeless have no rehabilitation facilities as per the United Nations guidelines, which India is signatory to,” said Arya. Data by NGO BUILD states that while the state has the second largest number of homeless in the country, Mumbai comes second in having the most homeless families. The rising cost of living, lack of affordable housing, slum demolitions, drought, famine, poverty in villages only swell the homeless numbers.
Davi Pandya, a labourer from Antop Hill, said, “People drive us away from everywhere. I was born in Mumbai and they keep telling me to go back to where I came from. The police beat up our men ruthlessly. Every monsoon, I lose my clothes, food, utensils, everything.”
Activists warned that the BMC’s move of razing the temporary structures, again contrary to SC guidelines, only makes the homeless more vulnerable to health and social hazards. A homeless earning Rs100-200 a day, Himmat Bhai from Charni Road said, “Often the police refuse to return our belongings. My children go to school without uniforms or books.”
The homeless in the city must spend 300 times more than others for basic amenities. “I spend Rs5 for one gallon of water which my children use before going to school,” Bhai added.
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