The Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) has issued a summons to the director of night shelters in the national capital after the latter failed to provide details about these facilities and the arrangements being undertaken ahead of winter.
"A notice dated October 13 was sent to you. However, the commission takes strong note of the fact that despite the passage of 15 days, no reply in this regard has been received from you.
"You are hereby directed to appear before the Commission along with the information sought on October 30 at 2 PM, failing which appropriate action under the law will be initiated by the commission," DCW said.
DCW chief Swati Maliwal had earlier written to the director (night shelter) seeking the details of all women and family night shelters in Delhi along with their full address and capacity.
It had also asked for a list of temporary night shelters (along with locations) that Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB) plans to set up during winter for women and families along with details of additional arrangements planned by the agency for homeless women and children.
Maliwal had also sought details of policies or processes adopted by DUSIB to identify areas where night shelters need to be set up for winter beside details of the surveys, if any, that DUSIB plans to undertake for identifying the same.
After visiting four night shelters for women in the Nizamuddin and Jama Masjid areas and spending a night at one such facility on Oct. 10, Maliwal had pointed out several glaring anomalies in their functioning.
She had red-flagged the issues of lack of security at female night shelters which were adjacent to ones designated for men, lack of separate toilets and absence of female guards and CCTV cameras, etc.
