New Delhi, Jan. 27: The Supreme Court today issued notices to the Centre and 13 states on a petition seeking shelter to lakhs of homeless people in the wake of reports that over 700 died due to the cold wave this winter, reports our legal correspondent.

A division bench of Justices S. Rajendra Babu and G.P. Mathur admitted a batch of public interest litigations by some social activists. The respondent states are Jammu Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttaranchal and Chhattisgarh.

The petitions sought the court’s direction for immediate plans for the homeless, like building shelter homes and food at night.