‘Beggars thrive on charity, refuse rehabilitation’

Neha Saini

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, January 18

There has been an increase in the number of beggars in the city for the past a few years. The city, which attracts tourists from across the world, has become a home to beggars languishing on city roads.

The places of tourist attraction like the Golden Temple and Durgiana Temple have become their favorite spots for begging, resulting in the harassment of tourists. Numerous attempts by the administration to rehabilitate them have failed to put a end to the menace.

The begging menace has also spread to commercial places like Lawrence Road and Ranjit Avenue. A large number of beggars can be seen near the bus stand and the railway station. Though the administration is trying every trick to nab and get rid of the beggars by organising special programmes for their rehabilitation, the problems persists.

“One of the major reasons behind the problem is that it has become an easy way of earning money. Beggars target tourists visiting various religious places to make easy bucks, knowing that they wouldn’t be refused,” said Ravi Bhagat, Deputy Commisioner, Amritsar.

He did not deny the helplessness of the authorities as a large number of migrant labourers come to the city to beg. “If you study the pattern of begging, most of the beggars have migrated from states like Chattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and West Bengal. They come here, assuming the opulent lifestyle and status of Amritsar as an international tourist destination. They spend two or three months begging in the city and make Rs 15,000-20,000, which is enough for return to their native places and send more beggars. It’s a vicious cycle.”

Some of the NGOs working to improve the situation and encouraging beggars for rehabilitation feel that the main reason of their survival need to be weeded out to tackle the problem.

“Most of the beggars on streets are like daily wage earners. They thrive on free food and charity. We may be unintentionally encouraging them by organising langars and distributing clothes in the name of charity. They have become so used to these freebies that sometime they react violently when someone refuses. We undertook some programmes in association with the administration for their rehabilitation, but they rejected our every initiative knowing that easy money is always waiting for them at traffic signals or outside religious places,” says Indu Aurora, vice-president, Voice of Amritsar.

She said residents should be roped to tackle the problem. “The administration and the police are trying their best, but till we do not stop giving them money, the problem would persist,” she said.