Braving the chill

Sunshine is precious. And this is best understood in the winter chill the national capital is known for. Expected to record the second coldest December since 1901, Delhi is braving the chill of the century. The mean maximum temperature for December was less than 20 degrees Celsius only in 1919, 1929, 1961, and 1997. December 1997 recorded the lowest mean maximum temperature of 17.3 degrees Celsius. This December, the mean maximum temperature till Thursday was 19.85 degrees Celsius and sources inform that it is expected to dip to 19.15 degrees Celsius by December 31. The Safdarjung Observatory which provides official figures for Delhi, recorded the lowest maximum temperature of 12.2 degrees Celsius on December 18, the weather station at Palam recorded the lowest maximum of 11.4 degrees Celsius on December 25 and since December 14, most parts of the city have witnessed 13 consecutive “cold days” dubbed as 13-day “cold spell”. A “cold day” is when the maximum temperature is at least 4.5 notches below normal and a “severe cold day” is when the maximum temperature is at least 6.5 degrees Celsius below normal. A change in the direction of wind is expected to bring some relief next week. While the dipping temperatures make news, there lies the concern for the numerous homeless people dwelling on the roadsides of the city. Night shelters get swamped with them as it provides some relative comfort. With a capacity of 15, most shelters manage to accommodate 15-25 inmates every night adequately with bed, blankets, pillows, drinking water and even television provided in some places. Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB) website informs that a total of 62 help requests were received through app and six were attended by the control room on telephone till date. Twenty people have been rescued on the basis of complaints. Apart from that, 17 Rescue Teams of DUSIB have shifted 3,351 homeless to the nearest shelter homes from November 15. Through a team of doctors, the shelter homes also provide medical treatment to the people living there. With the new year, there is said to be provision of some light breakfast. While the scene may appear to be manageable, there is no dispute about how difficult it is to sustain in this weather. The homeless include the elderly, women and children who already have reduced immunity and vulnerable to major sickness form exposure in this cold weather. Shelter homes are the first step adequately taken to address the situation. With more awareness and institutionalisation, these shelter homes could possibly become seasonal centres of productivity, adding more character to Delhi’s winters.