Govt urged to provide COVID relief to homeless persons

According to a representation sent to Chief Secretary by IRCDUC, Sumanasa Foundation, Thozhamai, Chennai Citizens COVID Fund for Migrant Labour and others, a survey conducted by the Greater Chennai Corporation in 2018 identified 9,087 homeless persons in the city.

“As per the same survey, 48 per cent of the homeless families do not have access to ration cards. Around 42 per cent of homeless persons do not have voter ID cards and 83 per cent do not have access to any form of medical insurance. Due to this, a majority of homeless persons cannot avail any financial aid from the government,” the representation pointed out.

The organisations also requested the government to enumerate the homeless persons individually as their names would have been mentioned in the ration cards of their erstwhile families.

“In order to reach cash assistance and other benefits, it is necessary to enumerate them zone wise. The urban local bodies should conduct the rapid assessment along with a civil society organisation. The rapid assessment and enumeration exercise can also assist in ensuring that homeless persons are allowed to access vaccination drives and access to other health benefits and schemes extended by the state during the pandemic,” the representation urged.

The civil societies also sent a rough enumeration of homeless persons in the city. As per the enumeration, there are as many as 4,680 homeless persons in Chennai. A majority of homeless persons are living on the roads of north Chennai zones.

As per the 2011 census, conducted before the boundaries of the city extended, the city had 67,676 homeless persons.