Stop asking for alms or leave city in two days, beggars told

Rachna Khaira

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, January 17

The district administration has told beggars to either stop asking for alms or leave the city in two days.

Under a special drive launched today, the beggars were told to either opt for any rehabilitation programme offered by the administration or get ready to face police action.

District Child Protection Officer (DCPO) Gurpreet Sodhi, who is a member of the district task force formed to check the begging menace, said, “The administration is going to make Apahaj Ashram and Pingla Ghar temporary rehabilitation centres for beggars. They can be temporally treated for various ailments at these places but eventually, they have to leave for their native state.”

“The state cannot bear the expenses of residents of other states. There are 90 per cent of the beggars are migrates in the city,” the DCPO added.

Though the administration has taken a tough stand to check the begging menace in the city, it doesn’t have any a foolproof rehabilitation plan to ensure their smooth transition.

Ram Chander (56), a beggar who sits outside Geeta Mandir in Model town, said he earned around Rs 50 to Rs 200 per day. “I have been staying alone for the past 20 years. Earlier, I used to work. I left the job after my health started getting deteriorated in the past few years. How can you expect me to work? What will I eat if I do not beg?” said Ram Chander, adding that the government must launch some programme in which elderly people like him could spent the rest of their life peacefully and with dignity.

Another beggar Shiva, who begs at Guru Nanak Mission Chowk, said, “Though I had tried to get a rickshaw on rent for Rs 40 per day, I was refused the same by the company. It refused to give me the rickshaw on rent as I could not deposit any ID proof with it.”