Residents want stringent laws, rehabilitation for beggars
Begging is not a menace. We should set up rehabilitation centres for child beggars. They should be imparted job-oriented skills while bearing in mind their economic needs. Retired teachers, sociologists and social workers should be encouraged to adopt these unfortunate children.
DR SS Bhatti, Chandigarh
Provide education, employment to beggars
The city administration and the state government must set up rehabilitation centres in collaboration with NGOs and provide employment opportunities to physically fit beggars and compulsory education for children. The police should be deployed in the begging-prone areas. Some legal remedies should be adopted in order to discourage begging.
Capt Sandeep Singh, Chandigarh
Children being pushed into begging
The begging has become a nuisance. Many gangs are pushing children into begging, which should be prevented at all cost to save children.
JP Singh Kalra, Chandigarh
Impart vocational training
People must discourage begging by refusing to give alms. The government should rehabilitate beggars by providing them vocational training and gainful employment. NGO’s help can also be sought in making them self-reliant.
Janeshwar Kumar Jain, Chandigarh
Multi-pronged approach needed
There is a need for a multi-pronged approach as the enforcement of anti-begging laws cannot tackle the problem alone. Infirm beggars should be hospitalised. Children should be sent to schools and the administration should take the responsibility of their rehabilitation. Physically fit and mentally alert beggars need to be arrested immediately and stringent action should be taken against racketeers.
SK Khosla, Chandigarh
Stringent anti-begging laws a must
The administration should handle the menace with an iron fist by not allowing beggars to wander on roads, especially near traffic lights. The anti-begging laws should be revised and modified to curb beggary at the earliest. The imposition of fine can prove a deterrent.
Rashi Srivastava, Chandigarh
Spread awareness among residents
Beggars are seen in large numbers everywhere in the city. Awareness about it must be spread among the residents to discourage beggary. They must be confined to a particular area and the remaining city can be declared a beggar-free zone. The help of the social media and NGOs can be taken to educate people about the menace. The administration must think about providing jobs to beggars in order to discourage begging.
Vishal, Mohali
Rehabilitate them
The authorities should try to encourage physically fit beggars to take up some other work. Their arrest will not bring an end to the problem. The government should carve out a place for incapable beggars and bear all their expenses.
Sahib Singh, Chandigarh
People should exercise restraint
People should exercise restrain while giving alms to beggars. There is dire need for a long-term constructive plan to eradicate the problem. Reform houses should be created to tackle the problem in the city.
Capt Jagdish Chand, Chandigarh
Rope in NGOs
There are many NGOs who get a huge amount from the government in the name of social welfare. The administration should ask such organisations to work for the rehabilitation of beggars. The the enforcement of law can act as a deterrent but may not be as effective as sincere efforts by NGOs.
Madan Gupta ‘Spatu’, Panchkula
Law does not permit their arrest
There is no provision in the law that permits the arrest of beggars. So, till the law is not amended, an executive order or notification can be issued to get rid of the menace.
AS Ahuja, Chandigarh
Amend law
Before trying to eliminate begging in the city, we must have a strong anti-begging law with severe punishment. So, the present law should be amended to tackle the menace.
Paras R Kalotra, Mohali
Provide them quota
Old beggars, particularly women and handicapped, need sympathy and help. Young women beggars with children should be provided suitable employment through a fixed quota in government jobs. They should also be provided accommodation in Nari Niketans.
Sharanjit Singh Kallah, Chandigarh
Concerted effort required
People should not give them alms. NGOs and social workers should help their children. Political parties should also pitch for shelter homes for them. The police should take action against people pushing them into begging. Beggars should also be identified.
Gagandeep Jassowal, Chandigarh
Beggars indulge in criminal activities
Beggars often create nuisance. They often disturb motorists at the busy traffic light points and people outside famous eating joints. A proper place should be earmarked for them. It has also been observed that sometimes beggars indulge in theft and other unscrupulous activities. The administration should, therefore, take stern action against them.
Hardeep Singh Slaich, SAS Nagar (Mohali)
They are a liability for society
An awareness campaign should be launched. People should be told that their charitable acts were doing more harm than good. We are encouraging a child beggar to stay out of school and become a liability for society through our acts.
Dr HS Walia, Chandigarh
Treat habitual offenders sympathetically
People can donate medicines and other useful items to beggars but not money. The government should frame schemes for the rehabilitation of physically-challenged beggars and children. Habitual offenders should be tackled with sympathy.
Kamalpreet Kaur, Mohali
Open reform centres
The administration should open some rehabilitation centres and provide them some vocational training so that they could earn their livelihood. NGOs can play an important part in dealing with the menace.
Wg Cdr Jasbir Singh Minhas (retd), Mohali
Open house question
The Chandigarh Administration has appointed a consultant to give a facelift to Sector 17. The upgrade of connecting corridors and the beautification of Sector 17 have been announced. What needs to be done to bring back the glory of the commercial centre. Send your suggestions in not more than 70 words, along with your passport size photograph to openhouse@tribunemail.com
Comment
Rajmeet Singh*
Bring them under skill development programme
THE city beautiful is vying for the status of smart city but lacks a concrete action plan to check begging.
The UT Administration is yet to set up a place to confine beggars. Beggars not only disrupt the traffic while putting their lives as well as those of commuters at risk, they also create nuisance in the night hours.
Organised groups of beggars, who are physically-challenged, can be seen at religious places, shopping arcades, traffic inter-sections and other busy spots in the city.
The Haryana Prevention of Beggary Act, 1971 (extended to Chandigarh in 2003), does not empower the police to arrest them as it is not a punishable offence under the Act.
In the past few months, efforts were made to study the problem and take remedial measures. But it will take a long time to remove the problem. In the past, many rehabilitation projects started for beggars or destitutes, including the one started by the UT Education Department in 2008, failed to achieve the desired result.
It is not begging alone, some of their family members, posing as salesmen, move between vehicles while trying to sell their merchandise. In the process, commuters end up losing their valuables to thieves in the guise of beggars.
This has contributed to the rise in crime as the police have failed to prepare a database of beggars and check their antecedents.
The police do not rule out the fact that victims of child trafficking are being brought to the city and pushed into begging. To overcome the menace of child labour, several NGOs and the UT Administration have launched special campaigns to rehabilitate child labourers and beggars.
In January 2008, the Chandigarh Administration had prepared a database of more than 7,000 child beggars and labourers, who could not be enrolled in school. They were provided food, educational facilities, clothing and even a monthly stipend in an effort to discourage them from begging. However, the scheme did not bear fruit.
There have been suggestions from different corners to act tough against beggars. The problem should be taken seriously and beggars should be brought under the skill development programme so that they could eke out a living.
*The writer is Chief City Reporter
