Kamrup (M) admin to carry out study on sustainable plan

Guwahati, June 29: To ensure a lasting efficiency of its drive to rehabilitate the street dwellers of Guwahati, the Kamrup (Metro) district administration would carry out extensive study on a sustainable plan for the homeless, urban poor of the city.

Kamrup (Metro) DC Pallav Gopal Jha told The Assam Tribune that the district administration has got a go ahead from the Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma with regards to the funding for ascertaining a secure environment for the street dwellers, particularly women and children, who spend the nights on the street, under flyovers, outside temples, etc., in a vulnerable condition.

So far, 19 street dwellers have been rescued from the streets of Guwahati and sent to rehabilitation centres.

“Our thrust area at this point is to rescue people from the accident prone zones first. People living under the flyovers of Ulubari, Bhangagarh and Ganeshguri have been rescued. We are particularly looking for women and children living on the street in a vulnerable condition. The drive will continue,” Jha said.

The rescued people are divided into categories such as single male who are into alcohol or substance abuse, single male who live on the street because of poverty, the mentally ill, women and children and the families which have migrated from other places to the city in search of work.

People picked up from the streets are being sent to shelter homes like Eastern People Community Participation, Nowapara, Satgaon, Nirmal Ashray, ICCW Geetanagar (under NULM) and the One Stop Centre in Guwahati.

“We have asked the shelter homes to arrange for good living conditions and good food for such people. We are also carrying out studies on the possibilities of their employment, any other rehabilitation and upgrading their living standards. Some of the street dwellers are also suffering from mental illness that requires a different intervention.

“So far, we believe the number of street dwellers is not huge and our existing institutions have the capacity to accommodate them. However, the propensity to return back to the street is very palpable among a section of the rescued, something which requires a deeper attention,” he stated.

The drive was started in Guwahati at the instruction of Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, who has asked the district administration to find out a viable solution to this issue.

The Kamrup (Metro) DC along with magistrates, police officials, officials from the Social Welfare Department and NGOs are carrying out drives to rescue and rehabilitate the destitute. The required medical attention and shifting to shelter homes are being done after screening.