Southern States - Kerala-Thiruvananthapuram   

Vagrants to be housed at Vanchi Poor Fund

By Our Staff Reporter

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM Oct. 6. The City Corporation has decided to utilise the premises of the Vanchi Poor Fund at Overbridge as a temporary shelter for rehabilitation of beggars. The decision was taken at a meeting convened by the Mayor, J. Chandra, to discuss the modalities of the campaign to enforce the ban on begging in the city.

The meeting resolved to repair the poor home building and restore it to working condition to house beggars who would be rounded up once the begging ban comes into effect. The Corporation will provide security and food for the inmates.

The Welfare standing committee chairman, M. Vinodkumar, said the idea was to use the premises till the Corporation's own rehabilitation centre on Kothalam road starts functioning under a registered society named Veedu. The local body has applied for registration of the society as a charitable organisation.

The meeting also decided to consult the Deputy Director of Prosecution for legal advice on rehabilitation of the beggars rounded up from the streets. Participants said the courts would first have to be convinced of the steps taken by the Corporation for rehabilitation.

Police officials who were present at the meeting pointed out that once produced in court, it would require a Magisterial order to transport the vagrants back across the border to the neighbouring States from where they are sent by organised begging rackets. They also noted that the rehabilitation scheme would suffer if they were set free on personal bail.

Meanwhile, the Corporation has commenced public announcement of the ban on begging. A jeep mounted with a public address system has been pressed into service to announce the ban on begging. The recorded message has been prepared in Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu and Kannada. Mr.Vinodkumar said the announcement was also intended to create awareness among city residents on the need to discourage begging.

A specially-designed vehicle equipped with a public address system is being prepared to enforce the ban on begging. Painted with the message of Veedu, it will tour the city streets from October 15 announcing the begging ban. The vehicle will stop at bus stands, railway stations and crowded junctions. Boards declaring beggar-free zones will be set up at various locations.

Mr.Vinodkumar said arrangements would be made to provide medical assistance for vagrants brought to the rehabilitation centre. A separate rehabilitation scheme is being worked out for street children. An expert committee will also be constituted to advice the society on the rehabilitation package.

A strategy to identify and discourage organised begging rackets is an integral part of the programme. In the next phase of the project, the rehabilitation centre will be equipped to impart vocational training to the beggars in a bid to wean them away from the streets and bring them into the mainstream of social life.

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