As ‘giving alms’ has a link with faith, the presence of beggars is felt more in places of religious significance than anywhere else.
The temple city of Tirupati, which is transforming into a smart city, is faced with the task of removing, albeit neatly and without ruffling feathers, these alms seekers.
Ever since the Smart City project has been set in motion, focus has been on tackling this issue, of course, apart from ensuring pleasant dwelling atmosphere for the denizens and providing basic infrastructure like power, drinking water, sanitation and transportation.
The beggars cannot be sheltered somewhere just like that as they invariably return to their favourite areas — temples, the railway station and the bus station.
The smart city managers, who have devised smart initiatives like e-scooters, solar rooftop, landscaping and road sweeping machines, got bogged down for a while on this issue as it requires a permanent shelter and food to wean them away from crowded places, lest they become an ‘eyesore’ in the otherwise ‘smart’ city.
Linking Anna canteens
As December 10 is observed as ‘Human Rights Day’, the district machinery has ticked this date as the deadline to shift beggars away from the city centre and provide accommodation, without hurting their basic rights.
Anna canteens, the latest tool in the State’s arsenal meant to provide healthy diet to the poor at affordable prices, has come in handy on this issue as these canteens are likely to dish out food items for alms seekers too.
District Collector P.S. Pradyumna, who mooted the idea at a recent review meeting, is of the view that removing alms seekers would get a lasting solution only with such a permanent and practicable linkage with the canteens.
