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They say, to truly soak in the bliss of the monsoons, one should lie under the open skies after it rains. While it might be a dream date for many, for some, there is no other choice. These are the homeless, who live on the streets. For them, the rain translates into despair and not relief. If it’s not already hard enough to survive under the scorching sun, it gets worse when it starts to pour. The temperature plummets, and so do their makeshift shelters.
“If 10 people are living under a flyover, they all even defecate at the same place. Jab baarish hoti hai toh wahan rehna saza jaisa lagta hai kyunki koi insan aisi jagah par nahi soo sakta,” says Radha, recalling her younger days spent on the pavements of Delhi. Now living at a shelter home, she adds, “Log humari problems ko nahi samajhte aur humare baare mein galat raye bana lete hain.”
“They do not live on the pavement out of choice, but rather due to lack of it,” informs Rajesh Kumar, from Society for Promotion of Youth and Masses (SPYM), a non-profit organisation. He adds, “A majority of them do odd jobs that last almost 12 hours a day, but yet are unable to afford a proper shelter. During monsoon, they are a lot more vulnerable to disease and ill health. To the middle and the upper-middle class that hires these people for jobs at their homes, I would plead that they be a little more compassionate and do not hesitate from helping, by rewarding them financially over and above their salaries, in whatever way they can; so that these individuals can at least afford a roof during such times of the year.”
Nusrat, who has lived life as a homeless, shares, “I spent five to six months on the roads with my two young kids, struggling for safety. Then someone guided me to a shelter home. But maine sadkon pe zindagi dekhi hai. Barishon mein aur mushkil ho jata hai. Hum tirpal (tarpaulin) dalte the lekin idher udhar se paani aa hi jaata tha, aur humara saara saaman bhi bheeg jaata tha. Mein chahungi ki zyada logon ko mere jaise kisi shelter home mein jagah mile.”
“Shelter is one of the most effective solutions to end the misery of the homeless during monsoon,” says Sunil Kumar Aledia, from Centre for Holistic Development (CHD), an advocacy networking organisation. He adds, “Every year more than 3,000 people lose their lives living on the streets. In the last decade, urban poverty has increased which has caused a lot more to go homeless. The living conditions during the rains play a major role in this number being high. If you have spare space at your homes, please try to provide shelter to someone who needs it. If there is an intent , then a lot can be done for the homeless. Those who want to help them out, can start by providing the homeless with essentials such as raincoats, umbrellas, slippers and tarpaulin. This can at least provide them with the basic necessities to protect themselves from the health concerns that arise due to staying drenched for long hours.”
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