Aaa campaign[1]

Save the Lives Campaign
2009-2010

Aashray Adhikar Abhiyan
(Campaign for the rights of the Homeless)

1

Background
Aashray Adhikar Abhiyan (AAA) is a rights-based programme of Action Aid
India, which believes that homeless people have the right to live in peace, dignity
and security.

Aashray Adhikar Abhiyan (AAA), a campaign for the rights of the homeless, since
year 2000 aims to make an impact on the status with respect to exploitation and
marginalization of the homeless people in Delhi. It developed into a model which got
replicated in other parts of the country. AAA's strength has been its participation mode of
working. A large majority of its field workers viz: community workers are the homeless who
constitute AAA's field workforce.

The aim of the initiative is to:

• Empower, mobilise and strengthen the capacity of the homeless so they are
able to assert their rights and live with honour and dignity.

• Make the citizens and Government of Delhi recognises that the homeless have
inalienable rights and that it is their responsibility to help the homeless live in
dignity.

Aashray Adhikar Abhiyan has been shouldering the responsibility of saving homeless
human lives from severe cold during winter in collaboration with Government of
NCT of Delhi and Municipal Corporation of Delhi since year 2002-03 under the
banner of 'Save the Lives Campaign'. 'Save the Lives Campaign' is one of the major
activities of Aashray Adhikar Abhiyan which is run during winter (November to
March) in collaboration with Revenue Department, Government of NCT of Delhi
every year and Municipal Corporation of Delhi. Civil Society joins this campaign in a
big way in different capacities.

Save the Lives Campaign 2009-2010

Aashray Adhikar Abhiyan (Campaign for the rights of the Homeless)

The past record of AAA's work under winter campaign is as:

Year No. of shelters

2002-03 13

2003-04 23

2004-05 46

2005-06 50

2006-07 54

Que for the entry into shelter–bldg.
2007-08 42

2008-09 42

Que for the entry into shelter (Tent)
2009-10 41

2

3

U
nder this campaign shelters are run in tents and buildings (in addition to the
permanent shelters run in buildings) where beds and blankets are provided to
protect the shelter users from severe cold. MCD opens additional buildings to
be run as shelters for the homeless for the winter season. These places are usually
those ones which are unused govt. buildings. In addition to beds ` blankets, drinking
water, first-aid and emergency health care, special food are also made available for
the shelter users. These shelters are ensured electricity supply so that the users do not
have to spend their nights in dark.

Preparing for the winter
The process of the 'Save the Lives Campaign 2008-2009' began with a survey by
AAA to identify unused government buildings for temporary shelters and locations for
pitching up tents. It was almost the same as that of the last year. Delhi's landscape is
under massive transition in the light of coming Common Wealth Games 2010. At
some places, the sites had to be changed.

This year, AAA's focus was on the central concentration zones of homeless population.
The details were provided to the MCD and revenue department respectively. MCD on
its own identified some new buildings for use during winters as night shelters.

Subsequently, a meeting was convened under the Chairpersonship of Secretary
(Revenue)/Divisional Commissioner, Govt. of NCT of Delhi on 27.11.2009 at 11.30
a.m. in the chamber of the Secretary (Revenue), Delhi at 5-Shamnath Marg, Delhi to
discuss the issues relating to opening of temporary night shelters for the homeless in
Delhi. NDPL and BSES, Department of social welfare, all commissioners of each
district and some NGOs were present in the meeting. It was decided that the tents
would open in phases starting from the most concentration areas. More tents would
be added up if need arise. AAA volunteered to take up the tents in the areas where it
has been running other regular shelters and also temporary ones during the past
years. Subsequent to this , a number of meetings were held from time to time, at the
office of the Secretary (Revenue), Delhi and MCD to discuss other issues (like water
proofing, thick mattresses and need for blankets etc.) relating to temporary shelters.

Roles and responsibilities
Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD): The additional buildings were opened on
1st. December, 2009. MCD handed over these buildings to AAA for the winter period
December, 2009 to March, 2010. MCD arranged free electricity and water connection
in these buildings.

Delhi Government, Revenue Department: On 4th December, 2009, Divisional
Commissioner's office started pitching up tents at the proposed sites. NDPL and BSES
provided electricity connection with electricity meters.



Aashray Adhikar Abhiyan (AAA): AAA
took over the possession of buildings and the
tents and immediately provided a care taker
for management of the shelter. The caretakers
were selected through a process of interviews,
group discussion and references and feedback
on his/her record of volunteering with AAA.
For women shelters, women caretakers were A Briefing session in progress
Volunteers
preparing for selected from homeless population. The
the winter selected volunteers were provided with training on management aspects of the
shelters, providing first aid, handling any emergency /crisis situation and
record keeping of stocks and maintaining entry register of shelter users.

Adequate number of blankets, first aid boxes was arranged and food
grains by AAA and updated from time to time. The night out team was
there in the field for the entire night visiting every shelter to oversee the
shelter management and help the caretaker in case of any difficulty or
need. AAA office was central control office on 24x7 bases with one field
level control office at old Delhi.

Civil Society
Aashray Adhikar Abhiyan has 78 partner organizations both govt. and non-govt.
organizations and many more concerned citizens working for the common goals to
provide a dignified space to the homeless in this city. Like every winter, all our long
time partners, individual friends of AAA started their campaign before the onset of
winter for mobilizing woolens, clothes, blankets, food grains etc. for the homeless.
Media fraternity supported the campaign in its own way which helped the work
getting highlighted in the outside world.

Our long time partner –Shree Dwarkadheesh Dharmik Sewa Smiti, who has always
been the solid support to AAA by arranging as many numbers of blankets as AAA
needs on returnable basis. This winter they again provided thousand blankets on
returnable basis. This time judiciary too, acted on
its own by taking up the issue of death of a Volunteers taking clothes for
distribution among the homeless
homeless during winters.

Details of shelters managed by AAA
This year AAA managed tents, at 13 locations,
total number of tents were 28. Average daily rate
of occupancy was of 70 persons and the total
number of buildings was 6 with carrying capacity
ranging from 60 to 350.Thus total number of
temporary shelters were 34. Details of these
shelters are as follows:.

4

5

TABLE 1
Temporary Shelters in Tents Temporary Shelters in
'pucca' buildings
S.
No. PLACE No. of Tents S.
1. Fountain Chowk, near night shelter 2 No. PLACE People

2. Yamuna Bazar, Dandi Park 3 1. Community Center,
Teli Warra Men
3. Mithaipul Kothi On Over Bridge 2
2. Community Centre,
4. Meena Bazar, Jama Masjid 2+1 (women)
Sarai Phoos Men
5. Nigam Bodh Ghat, Ring Road 3
3. Community Centre,
6. Nizamuddin, DDA park 1+1 (women) Kabir Basti Men
7. Delhi Gate, Opp. LNJP Hospital 2 4. Community Centre,
8. Mori Gate, near Gokhle Market 1 Phool Mandi Men
9. Jhandewalan near temple 2 5. Community Centre,
10. Idgah, near MTNL office 1 Gali Boriyan Men

11. Pusa Road roundabout, 6. Community Centre,
near Rachna Theatre 2 (families) Kotla Mubarakpur Men

12. Shahdra near water tank 2
13. Ratanpuri Chowk,
opposite Pusa Research Institute 2 As mentioned earlier permanent shelters,
running through out the year, were also
14. Anand Parvat, near J.J colony,
used for servicing homeless population.
backside liberty cinema 1
There were 7 such buildings which are
Total number of tents 28 as follows:

TABLE 2
Pucca Building (Regular Shelters)
S. No. PLACE People
1 Fatehpuri, Aashray Griha Men and children
2 Fountain Chowk, Aashray Griha Men
3 Community Center, Jhandewalan Road-I Men
4 Community Centre, Jhandewalan Road-II Men
5 Community Centre, Gali Ravi Das Men
6 Community Centre, Gali Tel Mill Men
7 Nand Nagri, Porta Cabin Aashray Griha Men



TABLE 3
Services in the shelters:
Mattresses,
n blankets
Occupancy of shelters Temporary Shelters
in Tents (Frequency distribution)
Visit
n by medical van of
Govt.'s health department Month Men Women & children Total
December ‘09 11931 817 12748
Drinking
n water
January ‘10 27713 1637 29350
Toilets
n
February ‘10 22429 2752 25181
First
n aid
March,10 18526 3278 21804
Library,
n newspapers
Total 80599 8484 89083*
Television
n

Clinic
n by qualified doctor

Hon'ble Chief Minister,
Smt. Sheila Dikshit along with
Sh. Mangat Ram Singhal,
Minister of Labour and Social Welfare;
Mr. K.S. Mehra, Commissioner, MCD
on her visit to Shelters

TABLE 4 TABLE 5
Occupancy of shelters in Occupancy of shelters in Temporary Buildings
Permanent Buildings (Men) (Frequency distribution)
(Men) (Frequency distribution) Month Men Women & children Total
Month Total December ‘09 3586 124 3710
December ‘09 28869 January ‘10 7696 132 7828
January ‘10 34515 February ‘10 5938 129 6067
February ‘10 30642 March,10 4868 120 4984
March,10 24402 Total 22088 505 22593*
Total 118428* *Total reach out through shelters for this winter period was 2, 30,104.

6

7

Food distribution
AAA runs a common kitchen at one of the shelters wherein it provides meals to the
patients discharged from the hospitals & are undergoing treatment and to the children.
Till they recoup with their health, they are provided with hot three time's meals. This
kitchen fed 3822 persons during four months of winter. In addition to these people,
hospitalized patients were also provided with additional nutrition.

Gur and Chana Distribution

'Volunteer with Chana' 'Inside shelters people having *Gur and
*Chana' 'Volunteer with Gur'

* Gur- Jaggery ; Chana- Roasted Black Gram

Since it was not feasible for AAA to reach out to all shelters Gur and Chana was
distributed among the shelter users. At 28 tents, 10,000 homeless were provided
with Gur and Chana. Out of these tents, 6 tents were managed by other NGO. The
night out team distributed gur and chana to about 8000 shelter users in Building
shelters.

Campaign for woolens and
clothes by our partners
AADI, our partner for woolens campaign, started its
campaign for collecting woolens from its own partner
organizations and individual friends.

Clothes were distributed widely both inside shelters as well
as on streets. AAA distributed clothes in Sadar Bazar slums
when a major fire
broke there.
Altogether 21000
clothes were
Children inside shelter distributed during
the entire winter
period.
Sh.S.C Sinha, Exe. Director,
Oriental Bank of Commerce, with
blankets for the children at shelter


Developments
AAA has an experience of leading this campaign for years together. The tents are
erected in open parks, side passages etc. There are a number of landowning agencies
in Delhi. Thus, the entire work of winter requires proper coordination among all the
departments and bodies of the government.

CASE STUDY 1

At Pusa Road,

There are about 100 families migrated from Karnataka about 40 years ago living around
Pusa road. They are engaged in petty jobs like balloon selling etc. Due to construction work
all around and then metro rail passing by that side, they kept being displaced from place to
place, For the last few year they have been living in open inside this roundabout
surrounded from all sides by a fast moving traffic. AAA had been working with these
families for the last six years. For the last three years, with AAA's efforts, tents used to be
erected in the same roundabout to save these people from cold weather. AAA's volunteers
from the community used to manage these tents

AAA at the site-pusa road AAA arguing with MCD officials for not
removing the tent with the people

This winter again, the tent was erected in first week of December, 2009 and was in
operation for about a week's time. So, the shelter in tent was a boon to them in this chilly
weather. All of a sudden, the concerned govt. official from MCD objected to this tent inside
the roundabout as he did not have any communication from his department about this tent.
AAA explained to the DC about this initiative by the State and asked him to give some

8

9

The temporary shelters not only provided a roof to the homeless
but also provided a shelter to the stranded travelers from Assam.

Police arrived at Pusa road Condolence meeting at
Pusa Gole Chakkar at Bhima's death

grace period to find out an alternate site for the tent so that no one dies in cold. Even the
hot arguments and AAA's resistance did not stop the Official to remove the tent. On 23rd.
December,2010, the tent was brought down with the help of police and other MCD
officials. AAA team immediately got engaged in finding out alternate site nearby. Few
locations identified near that area were rejected by the people. They did not want to move
to those places. Finally within one week's time, an alternate site (Ratanpuri) nearest to the
previous site was identified and the people agreed to this site. AAA's immediate focus was
to save people from the cold. AAA reported to the Revenue secretary office about this
location and on 3rd. January,2010, two tents were erected at that place, one for women
and for women and children.

Morning of the 1st. January, 2010, brought the news of death of a young man 'Bhima'
from the families while sleeping outside. There was much furor and the MCD was taken to
task by the High Court by taking suo-motto notice of the incident. Though this man never
used to sleep inside the tent when it was operational, still it was unfortunate. Within one
week's time approximately, two more tents were pitched in the gole chakkar.

With this incident the community became rigid and demanded for a tent inside the same
roundabout and not to move to the Ratnapuri chowk tent – the alternate site. Still, AAA
tried to persuade some people to move to Ratnapuri chowk tent and not shiver in the open
in the cold and avoid any more death. Some people moved to the new tent leaving behind
one group.Though after some time-----, tent was erected in the same park again at the
order of the High Court.



CASE STUDY 2

On 26th. December, 2009, Sh.Rajeev Kumar, SDM (HQ), Revenue Department,
Government of Delhi and Mr. M.C. Sharma, Dyp. Director of Social Defence department
of social welfare and Sanjay Kumar of Aashray Adhikar Abhiyan on a night out for
insuring the best possible facilities for the homeless of Delhi. Around 9.30 p.m. Mr.
Rajeev Kumar noticed a lady weeping near one of the tents. Upon being asked, she
hesitatingly narrated her story. She along with her husband, twelve year old son and
one more relative were en-route to Sonipat for some employment there. At old Delhi
railway station, their all belongings, cash got stolen. Their all contacts saved in the
mobile were lost in the mobile. The entire family was stranded with no money, no
contact number in a new unknown city. The lady told that, 'Some one at Railway
station told us to go to Jamuna Bazar tent where we can sleep and feel safe. That is
the reason we are here'.

The SDM, (HQ) immediately gave some Rs. 200 for food to the family. AAA's volunteer
Mr.Praveen Kumar took them to a shelter at Jama Masjid and provided food, medicine
to the sick child. The lady stayed at the women shelter being managed by AAA. The
others stayed in men's section. AAA's volunteer provided meals to the entire family.

On 27th December 09, evening, AAA volunteers brought the family to another shelter
located at Fatehpuri near old Delhi Railways station where other team members of AAA
had taken rail tickets to send them back. When that family reached at the shelter, the
lady and the child were seemingly upset and scared because the family had gone
through the experience of homeless life in an unknown city. Family was realizing the
pain of the losing home but she was thanking GOD that they found AAA. The child
was complaining of acute stomach pain. After taking medicine and hot fresh meal at
our kitchen the child felt okay. AAA arranged one night stay at Gurudwara Shishganj
Saheb, dharamshala at chandni chowk. The family was relieved to a great extent.

On 28th of December AAA arranged their railway ticket to their home, gave three time
meals home cooked meals for the journey , two blankets each ,woolen clothes , packed
food , four tickets and five hundred rupees in cash for further journey from Darjeeling
to their hometown. AAA volunteers remained with the family at the railways station till
the train started. The family has hopefully reached their home and got saved from
being homeless. After reaching hometown all the family members called up many a
times and thanked AAA for the efforts. Family consisted of Ms. Puja (34), Vijay (39),
Ashish (12), and Bahadur (28).

10

11

Other Activities
During winters, though AAA's focus shifts towards saving people's lives from cold
weather, its other regular programmes like community health outreach services, food
for the sick and children, education programme for children; free legal aid at beggars
court as well as at Appellate court continued with the same pace.Some shelters serve
as a half way homes for the patients who are under long term treatment but don't
need hospitalization.

The activities are explained as:

1. Community Health Outreach Services
AAA's existing community health outreach service acts a boulder to the additional
demand during winters. During the Save the Lives Campaign 2008-2009 Aashray
Adhikar Abhiyan also reached out to 2966 people through its various health
initiatives. The details of cases handled by various health initiatives of Aashray
Adhikar Abhiyan during the campaign are shown below:

TABLE 5
Number of Patients attended by Community Health Outreach Services
Month HIGH SSA Emergency/Crisis* Mental De-addiction Total
Health sessions &
medicine
December, 2009 516 91 17 14 152 790
January, 2010 547 167 20 15 156 905
February, 2010 304 108 14 22 198 646
March, 2010 314 96 15 23 147 595
Total 1665 462 66 140 653 2966

* An attendant was provided to all the hospitalized patients and arrangements for special food were also made along
with purchasing medicines from the market.

2. Organising and Mobilising the Homeless
All the homeless do not use shelter due to various factors. To reach out to the
unreached, AAA's specially trained team reaches out to those who sleep on the streets
at their convenient time. This team adopts more than 20 ways involving them into
this campaign. Through all the activities thus, AAA reaches out to 20,765 persons.



Minister of Health, Ms. Kiran Walia,
Ms. Asha Menon, Secretary, Delhi Legal Services Authority,
Mr. Hashmi, Secretary, Health,
Dr. Nimesh G. Desai, Director, IHBAS, Director, AAA
at HIGH clinic at Jama Masjid

12

13

3. Legal Aid At The Beggar-Court And Appellate Court
(Since 2001)
AAA's law research and advocacy unit has been working consistently on studying and
analyzing the anti poor laws being practiced against the homeless and urban poor.
The homeless and the urban poor being socially excluded fall easy prey to such laws.
Bombay Prevention of Begging Act, 1959 (BPBA) is one of such laws upon which
AAA has been working continuously since 2001. AAA has been providing free legal
aid to the people arrested under this law and unable to pay fee to advocate for their
defence both at beggar court and appellate court. People arrested under the Act who
are capable of paying the Advocate fee do not approach AAA.

During the period from December, 2009 to March 2010, AAA provided free legal aid
to 210 homeless and poor arrested under the Bombay Prevention of Begging Act,
1959 at Beggar-Court. Out of these, 135 accused persons were released after due
admonition on furnishing personal bond, 5 accused persons were ordered by the court
to be released after due admonition on furnishing personal bond and surety bond (in
the absence of any one to come forward to stand surety for them, they do not come
out of detention), 70 accused persons were ordered to be detained in certified
institutions (incidentally, most of these 70 persons were patients suffering from
leprosy). These leprosy patients were sent to certified institution at Tahirpur, Delhi and
the remaining were sent to certified institution at Lampur and Nirmal Chhaya.

AAA provides legal aid to those who are sent to certified institution after being
convicted under the said law. During these four months of winters, AAA filed 29
appeals at the appellate court (Sessions court). Out of these 29 appeals, 24 were
allowed meaning the convicts got released; 5 cases are pending in different courts.

Sh. Mangat Ram Singhal Celebrating Holi together
Minister of Labour, Social Welfare, Delhi
on Christmas Day with



It is important to note that the number of people being provided legal aid keeps
varying from time to time. The variance depends upon various factors like frequency
And intensity of arrests and raids.

5. Trainings
Trainings and development helps inincreasing job knowledge and skills of team at
each level. It helps to expand the horizons of human intellect and an overall
personality of the volunteers.

Such on the job trainings constitute an important component of AAA's work. During
winter period a number of trainings were conducted for capacity building of volunteers
associated with winter work. Some of these trainings were : Trainings on Legal
Awareness; Awareness about rights of the homeless and volunteerism; Child rights and
protection; Developing leadership skills; Understanding mental health issues among
homeless; Yoga practice; Gender equity and Development.

6. VOLUNTEERS
About 120 homeless volunteers and six core team members worked 24x7 braving the
chilling cold to save the homeless from cold and to achieve the above mentioned
reach out. The volunteers remained on the streets day in and day out to ensure that
the chilling cold could not claim any vulnerable life.

AAA ready to welcome homeless

14

15

Homage
AAA bid its last pray to it's the senior most associate –

Sh. Prithvi Chand Baba.

AAA's team performed his last rites with full rituals.

He passed away in the hospital at the age of 85 years.

AAA pays its homage to all those homeless who might have

succumbed to this year's harsh winter and gone unnoticed.



The most important aspect of the campaign was that the entire campaign was
managed by the homeless volunteers groomed by AAA over a period of time. It is
becaue of the utmost commitment and sincerity of the entire team of AAA who
sacrificed their sleep and cosy comforts of beds in the chilly nights, went without
meals at many times, got sick due to overwork and stress but went relentlessly to
provide comfort to their brethren in need and thus AAA could succeed in achieving
such a commendable reach out in collaboration with Delhi Government and MCD,
Slum & JJ Wing.

Celebration Time: This year is marked as a 'Beghar Muskan Varsh' by the homeless.
AAA believes in an environment of a family for the homeless. Within this family, the
homeless irrespective of caste and creed celebrate festivals of all religions together. On
December 25th, 2009, AAA celebrated Christmas at Delhi Gate, park near a
temporary shelter. Hon'ble Minister of Social Welfare and Labour, Mr. Mangat Ram
Singhal graced the occasion with his presence. Leecy, a homeless lady and cancer
survivor celebrated her birthday the same evening. Clothes and sweets were
distributed among all present. The people enjoyed music and dance programme.
Community band from Pusa Road played their band. It was a night with lights evening
which showed the brighter side of the otherwise gloomy life of the homeless.

Acknowledgements
The entire winter work was carried out by AAA in complete coordination with both
MCD and Divisional Commissioner's office. To oversee the work and to support to the
campaign, Delhi Chief Minister, Minister, Social Welfare and Labour; Minister of Health
and Commissioner, MCD and Chairman, MCD standing Committee Chairperson visited
AAA's shelters personally. AAA is grateful to all its partner organizations, media,
individual friends and all others who joined first time in this endeavour and
contributed in different capacities and manner to make this campaign successful.

16

(Campaign for the rights of the Homeless)

S-442 school Block, shakarpur, Delhi-110092;
phone: 91+ 011-22481609
mail: creatinghomes@yahoo.co.uk;
www.homelesspeople.in;
blog:www.aaahomeless.blogspot

Save the Lives Campaign
2009-2010

Aaa campaign[1]

Recomendados

Recomendados

Mais conteúdo relacionado

Último

Último (20)

Destaque

Destaque (20)

Aaa campaign[1]