New Delhi [India], January 14 (ANI): The Delhi High Court on Wednesday issued a collection of recent instructions within the suo motu PIL in regards to the acute scarcity of night time shelters for sufferers and attendants outdoors main hospitals within the capital, allowing impleadment of a number of extra authorities to comprehensively handle the disaster.
A Division Bench led by Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyay, together with Justice Tejas Karia, allowed the impleadment of the Centre for Holistic Development and directed that the All India Institute of Medical Sciences be impleaded by way of its Additional Director (Administration). The Court additional ordered the impleadment of the MCD, NDMC, L&DO, DMRC, PWD, DDA, Delhi Jal Board, and the Commissioner of Police, Delhi.
The Bench additionally directed that Vardhman Mahavir Medical College and Safdarjung Hospital, Lady Hardinge Medical College and Dr Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital be impleaded as events.
Referring to its earlier order dated January 12, the Court reiterated its concern over the ‘human drawback’ confronted by residents of Delhi because of insufficient services at shelter properties, significantly throughout excessive chilly circumstances.
The Bench noticed that owing to inadequate preparations, homeless individuals and attendants of sufferers have been struggling to guard themselves from the chilly, even to the extent of risking critical hurt to their limbs.
The Court famous a number of deficiencies, together with a scarcity of efficient implementation of the Winter Action Plan, a scarcity of shelters, a mismatch between knowledge on capability and occupancy, an absence of ample beds close to hospitals, poor surveys of the homeless inhabitants, water provide and fireplace security issues, and a scarcity of correct rehabilitation measures.
While clarifying that it was not doubting the efforts of authorities, the Bench noticed that the current coldwave scenario requires all stakeholders to work in coordination. It stated the difficulty could be monitored by way of each short-term and long-term measures.
On short-term steps, the Court took notice of information positioned by the Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB), together with letters written to AIIMS, VMCC and Lady Hardinge searching for permission to arrange pagoda tents in hospital open areas. AIIMS, nonetheless, knowledgeable DUSIB by way of a letter dated January 13 that present capability was ample, pagoda tents have been pointless because of proactive measures, and raised safety issues.
The Court additionally recorded that the Central Government counsel Ashish Dict had visited night time shelters round AIIMS and submitted a report, which was endorsed by the Additional Solicitor General and brought on document.
Senior counsel for the intervenor, nonetheless, tendered images taken round 11:30 pm on January 13, suggesting circumstances opposite to what was acknowledged by DUSIB. The images have been additionally taken on document.
Emphasising that India is a social welfare State, the bench held that denial of the best to shelter quantities to a violation of the best to life. It stated the State and its authorities can not shirk their constitutional obligation to offer shelter to homeless individuals, significantly these accompanying sufferers looking for medical remedy. ‘No refuge might be given to authorities for denying this proper,’ the Court noticed.
Taking notice of a report submitted by an intervenor highlighting that a number of sufferers and attendants have been in pressing want of shelter services, the Court issued a number of instructions.
That contains subways round hospitals, which shall be taken over by DUSIB and geared up with services equal to shelter properties. DUSIB shall instantly determine areas close to hospitals and erect tents or pandals; all different authorities shall cooperate, failing which erring officers will likely be held liable.
A gathering shall be convened at 10 am on Thursday by the Principal District Judge (South), to be attended by the senior-most officers (CEOs or high-ranking nominees) of NDMC, MCD, DMRC, AIIMS, DUSIB, VMCC, RML, LHMC, Delhi Police, DDA and L&DO to chalk out a short-term plan, to be carried out from the identical day.
Any battle throughout deliberations shall be resolved by the PDJ, whose choice will likely be remaining. The PDJ shall put together a notice and submit it on the following date by way of the Registrar General. No additional discover shall be required for attending the assembly.
The Bench relisted the matter for January 16, 2026, and directed all involved authorities to file compliance studies earlier than the following listening to.
Additional Solicitors General Chetan Sharma and Ashish Dixit appeared for the Central Government and its authorities. Standing Counsel Sameer Vashisht and Advocate Satya Ranjan Swain represented the Delhi Government and its authorities. However, Advocate Nishant Gautam appeared for Delhi Police within the matter. (ANI)