On a freezing marble pavement outside India’s biggest hospital in the capital New Delhi, Reena Devi optimistically keeps an eye on a nearby government-run shelter home as his ailing son shivers in the bitter cold.
Ms Devi, 30, this week travelled hundreds of kilometres from eastern Bihar state for treatment for her 12-year-old son Roshan Raj ― who suffers from severe arthritis ― at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences.
But as darkness fell, she once more failed to find a space in the handful of makeshift shelters that authorities run to accommodate desperate outpatients and their families in the winter months when temperatures fall to almost 0ºC in the city.
“The cold is biting our bones. It is unbearable. My child is already ill and I am worried about his health. The blanket is not enough but I cannot afford more warm clothes,” Ms Devi told The National.
“I could only afford to buy train tickets but have no money to rent a place. We don’t know how long we will have to sleep outside in this harsh weather,” she said.
Ms Devi is one of the thousands of caretakers who bring family members with life-threatening diseases to AIIMS for advanced treatment at nominal costs.
The premier government institute receives close to 10,000 new cases every day and accommodates more than 2,000 inpatients, but a long waiting list and lack of accommodation for hundreds of outpatients means spending nights in the open outside the hospital.
Renting a place or a hotel is an additional financial burden for outpatient families who are mostly engaged in daily wage labour, like Ms Devi’s husband, or do menial jobs and can barely afford food and medicines.
Dozens of people, including patients seeking treatment at the hospital, are forced to sleep on the pavements, bus stands, and pedestrian subways in unhygienic conditions while battling the bitter cold.
Delhi has been in the grip of a cold wave since the beginning of January and the mercury dipped to the season’s lowest on Thursday, 3.3ºC.
A thick blanket of morning fog has engulfed the city for weeks, disrupting flights and rail transport.
Schools have been shut and doctors are advising people to stay inside and keep warm.
The weather department is predicting that temperatures could drop further this month.
Thousands of homeless trapped outdoors as temperatures plummet
But for thousands of desperate patients, their caretakers, like Ms Devi, as well as the city's huge population of homeless, there is no reprieve.
Delhi has an estimated 150,000 homeless and every year, scores of them die because of the cold and related conditions.
The New Delhi government, ruled by the Aam Aadmi Party, in November set up 195 night shelters in the city, but they are almost always packed.
The shelters have capacity for about 17,000 people, and beds are allotted on a first-come-first-served basis, leaving tens of thousands to suffer in the bone-chilling cold.
“I was expecting to get a bed but the caretaker said all of them are occupied. There should be more shelters or beds added so more people can stay in shelters,” Ms Devi told The National.
"Those who have beds won’t leave them easily because it is very cold outside", she said.
For the past week, Anil Kumar, 45, has slept in an underpass outside the government-run Safdarjung Hospital, just across from the AIIMS ― a common spot for outpatients who spend hours looking for a space in reeking subways, bus stands and on pavements ― at times fighting and jostling with others for space.
The cold is excruciating, but Mr Kumar says he has spent all his savings on treatment for his wife, who has tuberculosis.
Every night, he asks medical shops for cardboard boxes. He then opens them carefully and lays them out on the stone floor — his makeshift bed.
“I sleep on it. What else can I do? My wife has TB. I cannot leave her alone here and go to a hotel. I don’t have money. I have two small kids to look after,” said Mr Kumar, who came from Bulandshahar in neighbouring Uttar Pradesh.
The crisis repeats year after year in the city where the government claims and promises that sufficient space for the patients and their caretakers is available.
But scenes from busy stretches near the hospitals provide a more accurate picture.
Rows of plastic sheets tied to the hospital boundary walls are used as camps by desperate women and children to protect themselves from the chilly winds.
Many make bonfires out of plastic and paper rubbish to keep themselves warm.
Nitin Singh, 20, a caretaker at one of two shelter homes outside Safdarjung Hospital said that he feels helpless when people come to him.
A bed is allotted for a maximum of two weeks. For patients, they need to show the hospital slips, duration of the treatment, or urgency.
“There are 40 beds in this shelter. One bed can be used by two persons, say a mother and her child. We also welcome homeless people and provide them with blankets, food and water. But I don’t feel the number of beds are enough for the needy,” Mr Singh told The National.
“Throughout the day people come to me, they stand outside and beg me for a bed. I feel helpless. I can’t fit them all inside because there is limited space,” he said.
The candidates
Dr Ayham Ammora, scientist and business executive
Ali Azeem, business leader
Tony Booth, professor of education
Lord Browne, former BP chief executive
Dr Mohamed El-Erian, economist
Professor Wyn Evans, astrophysicist
Dr Mark Mann, scientist
Gina MIller, anti-Brexit campaigner
Lord Smith, former Cabinet minister
Sandi Toksvig, broadcaster
The specs
Engine: Direct injection 4-cylinder 1.4-litre
Power: 150hp
Torque: 250Nm
Price: From Dh139,000
On sale: Now
Key figures in the life of the fort
Sheikh Dhiyab bin Isa (ruled 1761-1793) Built Qasr Al Hosn as a watchtower to guard over the only freshwater well on Abu Dhabi island.
Sheikh Shakhbut bin Dhiyab (ruled 1793-1816) Expanded the tower into a small fort and transferred his ruling place of residence from Liwa Oasis to the fort on the island.
Sheikh Tahnoon bin Shakhbut (ruled 1818-1833) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further as Abu Dhabi grew from a small village of palm huts to a town of more than 5,000 inhabitants.
Sheikh Khalifa bin Shakhbut (ruled 1833-1845) Repaired and fortified the fort.
Sheikh Saeed bin Tahnoon (ruled 1845-1855) Turned Qasr Al Hosn into a strong two-storied structure.
Sheikh Zayed bin Khalifa (ruled 1855-1909) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further to reflect the emirate's increasing prominence.
Sheikh Shakhbut bin Sultan (ruled 1928-1966) Renovated and enlarged Qasr Al Hosn, adding a decorative arch and two new villas.
Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan (ruled 1966-2004) Moved the royal residence to Al Manhal palace and kept his diwan at Qasr Al Hosn.
Sources: Jayanti Maitra, www.adach.ae
The biog
Mission to Seafarers is one of the largest port-based welfare operators in the world.
It provided services to around 200 ports across 50 countries.
They also provide port chaplains to help them deliver professional welfare services.
EXPATS
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Lulu%20Wang%26nbsp%3B%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Nicole%20Kidman%2C%20Sarayu%20Blue%2C%20Ji-young%20Yoo%2C%20Brian%20Tee%2C%20Jack%20Huston%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
PROFILE OF CURE.FIT
Started: July 2016
Founders: Mukesh Bansal and Ankit Nagori
Based: Bangalore, India
Sector: Health & wellness
Size: 500 employees
Investment: $250 million
Investors: Accel, Oaktree Capital (US); Chiratae Ventures, Epiq Capital, Innoven Capital, Kalaari Capital, Kotak Mahindra Bank, Piramal Group’s Anand Piramal, Pratithi Investment Trust, Ratan Tata (India); and Unilever Ventures (Unilever’s global venture capital arm)
Farasan Boat: 128km Away from Anchorage
Director: Mowaffaq Alobaid
Stars: Abdulaziz Almadhi, Mohammed Al Akkasi, Ali Al Suhaibani
Rating: 4/5
Players Selected for La Liga Trials
U18 Age Group
Name: Ahmed Salam (Malaga)
Position: Right Wing
Nationality: Jordanian
Name: Yahia Iraqi (Malaga)
Position: Left Wing
Nationality: Morocco
Name: Mohammed Bouherrafa (Almeria)
Position: Centre-Midfield
Nationality: French
Name: Mohammed Rajeh (Cadiz)
Position: Striker
Nationality: Jordanian
U16 Age Group
Name: Mehdi Elkhamlichi (Malaga)
Position: Lead Striker
Nationality: Morocco
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
The BIO:
He became the first Emirati to climb Mount Everest in 2011, from the south section in Nepal
He ascended Mount Everest the next year from the more treacherous north Tibetan side
By 2015, he had completed the Explorers Grand Slam
Last year, he conquered K2, the world’s second-highest mountain located on the Pakistan-Chinese border
He carries dried camel meat, dried dates and a wheat mixture for the final summit push
His new goal is to climb 14 peaks that are more than 8,000 metres above sea level
Key findings of Jenkins report
- Founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan al Banna, "accepted the political utility of violence"
- Views of key Muslim Brotherhood ideologue, Sayyid Qutb, have “consistently been understood” as permitting “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” and “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
- Muslim Brotherhood at all levels has repeatedly defended Hamas attacks against Israel, including the use of suicide bombers and the killing of civilians.
- Laying out the report in the House of Commons, David Cameron told MPs: "The main findings of the review support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism."
Zayed Sustainability Prize
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
EMERGENCY PHONE NUMBERS
Estijaba – 8001717 – number to call to request coronavirus testing
Ministry of Health and Prevention – 80011111
Dubai Health Authority – 800342 – The number to book a free video or voice consultation with a doctor or connect to a local health centre
Emirates airline – 600555555
Etihad Airways – 600555666
Ambulance – 998
Knowledge and Human Development Authority – 8005432 ext. 4 for Covid-19 queries
MATCH INFO
Norwich 0
Watford 2 (Deulofeu 2', Gray 52')
Red card: Christian Kabasele (WatforD)
Tottenham's 10 biggest transfers (according to transfermarkt.com):
1). Moussa Sissokho - Newcastle United - £30 million (Dh143m): Flop
2). Roberto Soldado - Valencia - £25m: Flop
3). Erik Lamela - Roma - £25m: Jury still out
4). Son Heung-min - Bayer Leverkusen - £25m: Success
5). Darren Bent - Charlton Athletic - £21m: Flop
6). Vincent Janssen - AZ Alkmaar - £18m: Flop
7). David Bentley - Blackburn Rovers - £18m: Flop
8). Luka Modric - Dynamo Zagreb - £17m: Success
9). Paulinho - Corinthians - £16m: Flop
10). Mousa Dembele - Fulham - £16m: Success
Greatest of All Time
Starring: Vijay, Sneha, Prashanth, Prabhu Deva, Mohan
The biog
Name: Timothy Husband
Nationality: New Zealand
Education: Degree in zoology at The University of Sydney
Favourite book: Lemurs of Madagascar by Russell A Mittermeier
Favourite music: Billy Joel
Weekends and holidays: Talking about animals or visiting his farm in Australia
The specs: 2018 Range Rover Velar R-Dynamic HSE
Price, base / as tested: Dh263,235 / Dh420,000
Engine: 3.0-litre supercharged V6
Power 375hp @ 6,500rpm
Torque: 450Nm @ 3,500rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 9.4L / 100kms
Gully Boy
Director: Zoya Akhtar
Producer: Excel Entertainment & Tiger Baby
Cast: Ranveer Singh, Alia Bhatt, Kalki Koechlin, Siddhant Chaturvedi
Rating: 4/5 stars
FA Cup fifth round draw
Sheffield Wednesday v Manchester City
Reading/Cardiff City v Sheffield United
Chelsea v Shrewsbury Town/Liverpool
West Bromwich Albion v Newcastle United/Oxford United
Leicester City v Coventry City/Birmingham City
Northampton Town/Derby County v Manchester United
Southampton/Tottenham Hotspur v Norwich City
Portsmouth v Arsenal
White hydrogen: Naturally occurring hydrogen
Chromite: Hard, metallic mineral containing iron oxide and chromium oxide
Ultramafic rocks: Dark-coloured rocks rich in magnesium or iron with very low silica content
Ophiolite: A section of the earth’s crust, which is oceanic in nature that has since been uplifted and exposed on land
Olivine: A commonly occurring magnesium iron silicate mineral that derives its name for its olive-green yellow-green colour
Scoreline
UAE 2-1 Saudi Arabia
UAE Mabkhout 21’, Khalil 59’
Saudi Al Abed (pen) 20’
Man of the match Ahmed Khalil (UAE)
HWJN
%3Cp%3EDirector%3A%20Yasir%20Alyasiri%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EStarring%3A%20Baraa%20Alem%2C%20Nour%20Alkhadra%2C%20Alanoud%20Saud%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3ERating%3A%203%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
The Bio
Amal likes watching Japanese animation movies and Manga - her favourite is The Ancient Magus Bride
She is the eldest of 11 children, and has four brothers and six sisters.
Her dream is to meet with all of her friends online from around the world who supported her work throughout the years
Her favourite meal is pizza and stuffed vine leaves
She ams to improve her English and learn Japanese, which many animated programmes originate in
