Homelessness a global issue, people living on footpaths human beings too: HC

Homelessness is a global issue but people living on streets are also human beings with the same footing as everyone else the Bombay High Court said on Friday refusing to pass any order directing removal of such persons in south MumbaiA division bench of Justices Gautam Patel and Neela Gokhale was dealing with an application filed in a petition taken up suo motu on its own by HC on the issue of unauthorised vendors and hawkers occupying the citys footpaths and sidewalksThe application filed by the Bombay Bar Association said several persons live and sleep on the footpaths and sidewalks near the Fountain area in south MumbaiThe application said letters were also written to the city police and the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation BMC seeking actionThe bench however questioned what judicial order could be passed in such casesAlso Read HC quashes special courts cryptic order rejecting Gautam Navlakhas bail plea directs it to rehearAre you saying the city must get rid of the poor These are the persons who come from other cities looking for opportunities here The issue of homeless persons is a global one the court saidThey homeless persons are also human beings They may be poor or less fortunate but they are still human beings and that makes them to be on the same footing as everybody else before us in court Justice Patel saidThe associations counsel Milind Sathe suggested that night shelters be made available for such persons occupying pavements and sidewalksThe bench said that was one solution the authorities could considerIn a satirical remark the court said the BMCs simplest solution to such challenges would be to start construction at the spot or build a Metro stationStart digging and everyone will go away No one gets to use the footpath then No pedestrian can walk on itno car can drive thereno one can live on it Problem solved The construction then goes on for years It is an ideal solution Justice Patel quippedThe court however noted that the concern raised in the application was distinct and not tied to the issues of hawkers and vendors in the suo motu petitionSathe then said the association would consider filing a separate petition or public interest litigation on the issue of homeless personsThe court agreed and said if a separate petition or PIL is filed then necessary directions could be passedThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever