https://indianmasterminds.com

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

A Night In ‘Rain Basera’

In the cold of the night, Ghaziabad district collector Ajay Shankar Pandey did not think twice before rushing to the night shelters- the temporary abode of the homeless people- and see for himself the conditions prevailing there. By doing so, he exhibited a sense of fair play and justice, something which has become a rarity these days.
Indian Masterminds Stories

Rain Baseras, or a night shelters, as provided by the state governments in various cities are generally the last refuge for the homeless and poor. Their need for these shelters become urgent during winters, as is the case now. Therefore, when the District Magistrate of Ghaziabad in Uttar Pradesh, Mr Ajay Shankar Pandey, came across allegations that a number of essential items were either missing or malfunctioning in the shelters situated in the district, he decided to check things out for himself.

So, on the night of December 30, 2020, when the entire North India was reeling under an intense cold wave, Mr. Pandey started making the rounds of the night shelters. It was not a cursory official visit, as some would assume. The collector spent several hours here, interacted with the poor, and saw for himself if anything was amiss in the shelters.

This was unprecedented, in a way that no district collector in Ghaziabad had ever done such a thing before. No wonder, his gesture is being appreciated all over. In fact, what provoked him to make detailed inspections of the shelters was the comment by a complainant (who is also said to be a social worker of the area) that “The rain baseras in your nearby areas are kept in such poor condition that you cannot even enter it and sit there for 10 minutes. Also, you won’t even think of touching the dirty blankets.”

In a telephonic interview with Indian Masterminds, Mr. Pandey said “The condition of shelter homes in our district has been good and have been continuously monitored by the municipal corporation and District Urban Development Agency (DUDA). However, as the complaint was being made in public, I assured the complainant that I will surely visit and stay for the night in all the shelters for which the complaint has been made.”

The phone number of the complainant was taken and all the names of the shelter homes were noted. The complainant commented “I’ll wait for this day to happen” and left.

KEEPING THE PROMISE

This was on December 30th. Later that day at 11 pm, Mr. Pandey left his office and began conducting the inspection of all the shelter homes which the complainant had mentioned. First, he reached the Arthala shelter home and started interacting with the people. During his stay there, he closely inspected the blankets, beds as well as the overall condition of the shelter.

DM Ghaziabad at Arthala shelter home (Rain Basera)

Mr. Pandey said, “There were many people who were using the shelter homes; after inspection, it turned out that the complaint was made vaguely and things were fine in that shelter.”

Soon Mr. Pandey left for an inspection in another shelter home in Rajnagar. The complainant was a resident of the area and was also complaining about the shelter home located there. Mr. Pandey arrived and saw people resting in their individual beds. While conducting the inspection, DM’s staff tried calling the complainant and after many attempts, he picked up the call.

Mr. Ajay Shankar Pandey on inspection

On informing the complainant about the DM visiting a shelter home in his locality and keeping the promise that he made in the office, the staff asked him to come and meet the DM. The complainant replied, “I will be there in 15 minutes”. However, it turned out to be a false promise  as the person switched off his phone and never showed up.

SPENT AMPLE TIME IN NIGHT SHELTERS

Mr. Pandey told Indian Masterminds, “While waiting for the social worker, I sat on a bed in the shelter home and asked my PA to take out the official files. On knowing that the complainant has switched off his mobile phone, I completed checking the files which took an hour.”

Checking files in Rain Basera

As it was a surprise visit, the manager of the shelter home got new bedsheets and blankets for the District Collector which he refused as he was already using the old ones. The cold weather in the city also made him use the blankets which were kept there.

Interacting with people staying in Rain Basera and asking about their wellbeing

After spending two hours in the common shelter and waiting for the complainant, Mr. Pandey decided to go back to his residence. The condition of the shelter home was satisfactory, according to Mr. Pandey, and an order was passed by him for daily inspection of all the thirty shelter homes in the district by the concerned officials.


Indian Masterminds Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Related Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
NEWS
NTPC_Barauni_signed_agreement_
NTPC Barauni to Install 89 High-Mast Lights Across Begusarai to Boost Safety and Community Development
BPCL_bags_Excellence_Awards_
BPCL Wins Top Honours for City Gas Distribution and Customer Service at 19th PNGRB Foundation Day
Allahabad high court
SC Collegium Approves Appointment of Vinai Kumar Dwivedi as Judge of Allahabad High Court
JK Cement Health Camp Panna
Free Health Camp Organised for Forest Personnel During Wildlife Week 2025 by South Panna Forest Division
REC Mobile Medical Units
Union Minister Bhupender Yadav Flags Off REC’s ₹5.71 Cr Mobile Medical Units to Boost Rural Healthcare in Rajasthan
BSNL
Indigenous 5G Coming Soon: BSNL’s 4G Network to Be Upgraded to 5G Within 6–8 Months
Punjab and Sind Bank
Result: Punjab & Sind Bank Reports 16% Loan Growth in Q2 FY26, Business Crosses ₹2.4 Lakh Crore
Namchik Namphuk coal mine
Arunachal Pradesh’s First Commercial Coal Mine Inaugurated at Namchik Namphuk by Union Minister G. Kishan Reddy
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
IDES Saquib Alam
UPSC Strategy & Mindset Tips from IDES Officer Saquib Alam | Video Interview 
Dr G K Goswami IPS
Everything you ever wanted to know about e-murder, e-dacoity and data safety
IFS Ravikant Meena UPSC IFS
Ravikant Meena on IFS Preparation, Optionals, and Life in Forest Service
ADVERTISEMENT
UPSC Stories
IDES Saquib Alam
UPSC Strategy & Mindset Tips from IDES Officer Saquib Alam | Video Interview 
Discover how IDES officer Saquib Alam left his corporate job at Mahindra, overcame six UPSC attempts,...
Utkarsh Ujjwal IAS
IAS Utkarsh Ujjwal Shares Key Advice for UPSC Aspirants: Work Ethic, Failure, and Focus
Read the inspiring journey of IAS Utkarsh Ujjwal, 2023 batch, Gujarat cadre. From IIT Guwahati to clearing...
Sagar Datta Majumdar UPSC CSE 2024 AIR 317
“Don’t get trapped in the vicious cycle of self-doubt,” says UPSC Achiever Sagar Datta Majumdar
Discover how Sagar Datta Majumdar from Agartala, Tripura, cracked UPSC CSE 2024 with All India Rank 317....
Social Media
World Rhino Day India
On World Rhino Day, IFS Officer Parveen Kaswan Shares Rare Insights - India Now Hosts 80% of the World’s One-Horned Rhinos
September 22 Marks Global Call for Rhino Conservation; India Holds 80% of World’s Greater One-Horned...
Parag Madhukar Dhakate
Relentless Rains Wreak Havoc in Dehradun: IFS officer PM Dhakate Warns Citizens Amid Flash Floods
Cloudbursts in Dehradun triggered flash floods. IFS officer Dr. PM Dhakate warned citizens to stay indoors...
Forest Guard Tiger Encounter
Tigers Clash in the Wild as Forest Guards Capture Rare Footage , Retired IFS Mohan Pargaien Posts Viral Video
Retired IFS officer Mohan Pargaien shares viral video of three tigers brawling in Ramnagar, as forest...
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Latest
NTPC_Barauni_signed_agreement_
NTPC Barauni to Install 89 High-Mast Lights Across Begusarai to Boost Safety and Community Development
BPCL_bags_Excellence_Awards_
BPCL Wins Top Honours for City Gas Distribution and Customer Service at 19th PNGRB Foundation Day
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
IDES Saquib Alam
Dr G K Goswami IPS
IFS Ravikant Meena UPSC IFS
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT