Archive for January 10th, 2010

Good Samaritans: Delhi Catholic Archdiocese, St. Michael’s School

Posted in Good Samaritans on 01/10/2010 03:37 pm by Colrama

Municipal Corporation of Delhi had in the biting winter cold  in a most heartless manner broken up a night shelter occupied by over one hundred homeless poor.

Delhi Catholic Archdiocese, St. Michael’s School, stepped into help the hapless poor.

And not for the first time either.

New Picture (89)A School Turns Classrooms Into Night Shelter

Ambika Pandit | TNN

New Delhi: After being severely reprimanded by Delhi High Court, MCD erected a night shelter in a park near the Pusa Road roundabout on Thursday night but its heart didn’t melt. The structure was devoid of all necessities. But the poor people who would have spent the night there on the coldest day of the season found a helping hand stretched towards them.

Delhi Catholic Archdiocese stepped in and opened some classrooms in St. Michael’s School for the night. A statement issued on Friday said: ‘‘In the wake of the recent demolition of the temporary night shelter at the Pusa Road roundabout by MCD, St. Michael’s School on the same road, run by the Delhi Catholic Archdiocese, has decided to help the victims of the demolition.’’

‘‘The school has decided to open its gates to people suffering in this extreme weather without proper facilities given by the MCD,’’ the statement said.

Speaking to Times City on behalf of the Archdiocese, Father Dominic Emmanuel said that after reading about the high court’s intervention and the condition of the people living in the park near the Pusa Road roundabout on Thursday morning in TOI, it was decided to step in.

The school will be providing them with blankets for the night. The homeless will, however, be asked to vacate the classrooms by 6.00 am so that the school can commence its daily routine.

The principal of the school, Father Vincent D’Souza, was asked to write to the MCD and the state government’s education department to inform them of the decision of the school management.

Eight years ago, St Columbus School on Bhai Veer Singh Marg had opened its doors to the underprivileged who suffer in the cold winter nights. The school continues to run that night shelter. ‘‘The church authorities hope that this step of theirs will bring some solace to the sufferings of the poor in the city,’’ said the statement.