The Andhra Pradesh High Court has issued a firm directive to the state government, ordering immediate steps to relocate homeless individuals sleeping on footpaths to designated shelter homes. The court expressed grave concern over the plight of these destitute citizens, especially during the cold winter nights.
PIL Highlights Government Inaction
The court's intervention came in response to a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by N Adi Ramakrishnudu, a practicing lawyer in the high court. The PIL challenged the perceived inaction of the state government in shifting homeless people to shelter homes under existing poverty alleviation schemes. Ramakrishnudu argued that these individuals are suffering in the cold and that the civic authorities have failed to take necessary action to protect them.
Court Observations and Shock Over Women's Shelter
The bench, headed by Chief Justice Dhiraj Singh Thakur and comprising Justice Ravi Cheemalapati, made specific observations based on their own sightings. The judges noted they had seen people sleeping on the pavements of the Prakasam Barrage in Vijayawada. The bench highlighted the dual dangers these individuals face: the risk of accidents while sleeping on footpaths and prolonged exposure to harmful pollution.
During the hearing, the standing counsel for the Vijayawada Municipal Corporation (VMC) informed the court that the corporation is already running a few shelter homes and has proposals for more. However, the bench was visibly shocked to learn that there is currently no shelter home exclusively for women in Vijayawada. The court sternly observed that the government cannot merely spend time preparing proposals while people suffer on the streets.
Court's Directives and Next Steps
The High Court has issued several clear orders. It has directed the state government to file a detailed affidavit outlining the concrete steps taken to establish shelter homes across Andhra Pradesh. Furthermore, the court has specifically instructed the Vijayawada Municipal Corporation to conduct a special drive, involving non-governmental organizations (NGOs) with proven experience in this field, to identify and assist the homeless.
To ensure proper monitoring of the matter, the bench appointed senior counsel KS Murthy as an amicus curiae (friend of the court). This move underscores the court's seriousness in seeking a swift and effective resolution to the humanitarian issue. The court's message was unambiguous: providing shelter to the destitute is an urgent imperative that requires immediate and tangible action from the administration.
