Here beggars are trained to be choosers

By P.Satyanarayana Rao

BELLARY, JUNE 3. Williams is 40 years old, and well built. A native of Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, he has a three children. He has run away from his responsibilities and reached Bellary. "I had come to work here in some hotel, but had no alternative except to beg," he says.

Albert from Shimoga is in a similar predicament though he is a "lone wolf." He has become a friend of Williams. Joining them is Laxman from Millerpet in Bellary, whose days of physical labour as a hamali have come to an end because of nervous debility. Twentyone-year-old Raghav has deserted his mother and travelled from Cuddapah to Bellary and has chosen the easy way out: begging at the Railway Station. Lakshmamma, 63, a local woman, has been neglected by her stepson and has joined the group.

All these are inmates of the Niraasrithara Parihara Kendra, a beggars' home at Guggarahatti, near from Bellary city. There are 25 inmates, including three women, at the kendra.

Mr. N.C.Srinivas, District Social Welfare Officer, is keen on making these people turn over a new leaf and join the mainstream. It takes two to make a beggar -- the giver and the receiver of alms--he says. So long as people consider alms-giving to be a "pious" shortcut to "salvation", begging will flourish. Therefore, an awareness programme to discourage begging has been launched (using pamphlets), with a van equipped with a loudspeaker that is going around the city.

Mr. Srinivas points out that begging is prohibited under Section 3 of the Karnataka Prohibition of Begging Act, 1975. This Act prohibits begging by girls above 18 and boys above 16. As begging is an offence, he has appealed to the people to ring up and report if they find any one begging in the name of god, religion etc. in public places such as temples churches, and other places of worship as well as in busstands and railway stations, cinema halls or in front of shops. Pavement artistes singing in public places, dancing, fortune-telling, juggling and then asking for alms are also punishable. Displaying wounds, showing animals or whipping one-self publicly are also methods of begging, which are prohibited.

It is to bring awareness among the people about such activities that the special van is being used for going round the city. The van resembles a police van as the glass windows are covered with wiremesh. It has a warning bell inside to instruct the driver to stop if beggars are spotted.

The Nirasrithara Parihara Kendra has a staff consisting of a superintendent, a clerk, a warden, a watchman, a security guard and a cook. There are also staff members appointed to identify beggars, produce them before the tahasildar, and on his recommendation, bring them to the centre even by force if necessary.

Generally no inmate is allowed to stay in the centre for more than three months. Sometimes their stay is extended by another term. They are given food regularly -- breakfast, lunch etc., which generally consists of ragi balls, rice and dhal. They are given training in some occupation such as rug-making and rope- making with coconut fibre (coir). A regular hot water bath after long walks is a must in the morning. There are 30 rope-making machines available for their use.

Mr. Srinivas says most of the inmates have no family attachment and are lonely though some of them are lazy and mentally depressed. They are given regular medical treatment. They also watch television in a group.

Mr. Srinivas says that a beggar cess collected by the Bellary City Municipality amounting to Rs.1,14,954 has been given by cheque through proper channel for running the beggars' home this year for the first time.

He says that Mr. Kapoor, a top official from the Central Relief Committee had visited the kendra in February 2000, and recommended allotment of two acres of revenue land for the construction of a dormitory in the kendra, which is now housed in rented premises at Guggarahatti. On the proposed site, a Rs.45- lakh dormitory has been planned. Already, a sum of Rs.20 lakhs has been made available for the purpose.

Mr. Srinivas wants to establish a training centre there, so that job-training suited to any age group can be provided. Such training will create self-respect and self-reliance among those who take to begging as the easiest way of escaping social responsibilities. "It is said that beggars cannot be choosers, but the kendra would like to make them earn their livelihood through dignity of labour, says Mr. Srinivas.

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