New Delhi, May 28 (PTI): A field audit conducted by an NGO has flagged gaps in heatwave relief measures for homeless people and patient attendants outside government hospitals in Delhi, with many reporting lack of access to water, shelter and medical assistance during the ongoing summer conditions.

According to the report released by Centre for Holistic Development (CHD) and its director Sunil Aledhia, all 35 vulnerable persons surveyed during the audit reported symptoms linked to heat-related illnesses while staying outside hospitals during the heatwave period.

The report stated that 97.1 per cent of the surveyed people did not receive any medical screening, triage support or emergency assistance, while 85.7 per cent said they were unaware of official heatwave alerts issued by authorities.

The NGO also claimed that only 20 per cent of respondents were able to access shelters run by the Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB).

It alleged that among those who accessed shelters, many reported lack of drinking water, beds and separate spaces for women. However, DUSIB did not respond to the allegations.

According to the report, 82.9 per cent of respondents said they had not received guidance regarding nearby shelters or relief facilities, while 88.6 per cent claimed that no outreach teams or officials visited them during the peak heatwave period.

The report further alleged that some patient attendants and homeless persons were prevented from seeking shade inside hospital premises by security personnel and staff, forcing several families to spend nights on pavements exposed to extreme heat conditions.

CHD urged authorities to immediately strengthen relief measures by setting up temporary cooling zones near hospitals, improving access to drinking water, deploying mobile medical and ORS distribution units, and conducting outreach drives during heatwave alerts.

The NGO also called for women-only secure spaces in temporary shelters, installation of multilingual heatwave advisories, and better coordination among DUSIB, hospitals, civic bodies and district administrations.

An analytical assessment attached to the report and based on Delhi Police ZIPNET data, 157 unidentified or homeless persons died across Delhi during May this year, averaging more than five deaths a day, it claimed.

The report noted that North district recorded 31 such deaths, followed by Central district with 26, while railway and transit corridors accounted for 21 deaths.

It said temperatures in Delhi crossed 44 degrees Celsius during May and suggested that heat stress could have been a contributing factor in several cases. PTI SHB SKY SKY

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