NHRC directs Centre to take steps to ensure safety of homeless people amid pandemic

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on Tuesday sought response from the secretaries of various central ministries including Home, Health and Housing & Urban Poverty Alleviation, over the plight of millions of homeless people and children during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Considering a petition filed by Radhakanta Tripathy, noted human rights activist and civil rights lawyer in the Supreme Court, the NHRC asked the Secretaries to act over the matter within eight weeks. In his petition, Tripathy alleged that millions of homeless people, including lakhs of children on the street have been suffering immensely for a long time due to the virus and subsequent lockdown measures.

"Especially, they are subjected to COVID infection without bare necessities of life and COVID testing and precautionary measures. They suffer silently without basic human rights in all the States and Union Territories of India due to negligence, inaction and failure of the Centra authorities. This amounts to a serious human rights problem during the Pandemic in India," Tripathy alleged.

The activist cited census data of around 13.7 million households and 17.4% urban households, living in informal settlements. The Census indicates that 69% of Indian houses have only one or two rooms. About 78 million people in the country live in slums and tenements, while 17 per cent of the world's slum dwellers reside in India.

"The UN states the right to adequate housing is about the security of tenure, affordability, access to services and cultural adequacy. It is about protection from forced eviction and displacement, fighting homelessness, poverty and exclusion," it said.

"However, India defines 'homeless' as those who do not live in Census houses, but on pavements, roadsides, railway platforms, staircases, temples, streets, pipes, or other open spaces. There is a high proportion of mentally ill and street children in the homeless population. What is more worrisome is that a 'Homeless Generations' exist in India," the plea added.

'How will homeless people stay at home during pandemic?'

Tripathi said the basic precautionary measure during the COVID-19 pandemic is to stay at home. “But how do homeless people stay at home? Moreover, it is almost impossible to practice 'social distancing' in informal settlements and homeless clusters and shelters," he added.

Stressing that India needs a modern public health act and realistic housing policy, Tripathy urged the NHRC to take immediate action and get a detailed report for an integrated, comprehensive and holistic provision for homeless people during and after the pandemic.

The NHRC in its order stated, "This complaint be transmitted to the concerned authority for such action as deemed appropriate. The authority concerned is directed to take appropriate action within 8 weeks associating the complainant/victim and to inform him/ her of the action taken in the matter."

(With inputs from agency)