Beggars all over the city seem to be thriving in the month of Ramadan. Hordes of beggars are found mostly at crowded road junctions, bus stops, railway stations, mosques and commercial centres, employing different tactics to get money from people.
These beggars come from all age groups, from young children to old men who enter the city to scrounge for some money every day. Poverty, unemployment, quick access to food and money is the main cause of attraction for people in this profession.
“If beggary is not tackled tactfully, the number of beggars will continue to grow,” said a social worker Mohammed Imran.
He added that it was the duty of the Social Welfare Department to come up with an effective scheme to eradicate the menace. A City District Government spokesman said they had taken extraordinary steps to discourage beggars but the issue required a long-term solution for which no shortcuts would serve the purpose. “The problem should be resolved on a permanent basis which will require heavy financial inputs as well as firm laws,” he commented.
