City turning into a hub of alms-seekers

Their actual number is much more than the official figures

In a strange development that may put the city’s changing face of development in trouble, the number of alms-seekers migrating to the city seeking better returns and safe accommodation is on the increase.

Though the figures available with the district administration and police say there are more or less 600 such people, mostly destitute, who roam around the city, the actual number is three or four times higher than that in the official records.

Shelter

Strangely, women alms-seekers dominate the group, who currently seek shelters in public places including the railway station and the two main bus stands in the city.

In the day time, the group mostly concentrates on tourism spots — including the beach and other public entertainment centres — and return to their regular camps after the day’s work.

Free food

Members of various voluntary organisations and police say free food offered by some of the charitable movements and people’s sympathy towards them act as impetus for the migrating beggars.

While this has several drawbacks, the withdrawal or change in such acts all of a sudden will end up in some humanitarian issues.

As begging is not legally banned, the police are mainly dealing with the law and order issues related to the wanderers’ community.

‘Not practical’

Officials say that driving them away from the city’s important pockets will never be a lasting practical solution unless the States concerned are not initiating proper rehabilitation schemes. “There are even unconfirmed reports that the alms-seekers are part of a larger network controlled by big sharks in the field. Though it is yet to be proved in our city’s case, we are keeping a vigil in the area,” says a Senior Civil Police Officer attached to the City Crime Squad. He also makes it clear that the police always keep an eye over their movements in various parts of the city as part of the routine patrolling.

Other than these concerns, K. Madhusoodanan, coordinator of the District panchayat’s health scheme for the wandering community under its Snehasparsham scheme, says that the health condition of many of the alms-seekers is in a poor state and it should be addressed immediately for the safety of all. In many of the locations, they are living in groups, which will make the situation worse in the days ahead, he warns.