The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Coimbatore News : Drive against beggary on roads

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Sunday, Dec 20, 2009
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Coimbatore

Drive against beggary on roads

Staff Reporter

Photo: M. Periasamy

TOWARDS REHABILITATION: A Coimbatore Corporation official speaking to people who were removed during an anti-beggary drive on Saturday. —

Coimbatore: The authorities on Saturday carried out a drive against the menace of beggary on the roads and removed more than 300 people who were living by seeking alms from vehicle users at traffic signals across the City.

District Collector, P. Umanath, Corporation Commissioner, Anshul Mishra, City Police Commissioner, P. Sivanandi and Fr. Santhanam of Don Bosco Anbu Illam with the help of personnel and volunteers carried out a drive against those seeking alms.

The entire city was divided into five zones. Don Bosco Anbu Illam, Childline volunteers, personnel from Corporation and City Police took part in the drive along with revenue officials.

In a drive that began in the small hours lasted till late afternoon. More than 300 persons were removed during the drive and were brought to the Varadarajapuram Kalyana Mandapam.

The decision to conduct a drive was taken following complaints about the menace on roads especially in the wake of reports that child trafficking was going on and that children were being injured in a bid to evoke sympathy from vehicle users.

Alms-seeking was seen turning into a commercial activity, hence the decision to remove and rehabilitate those who sought alms.

A number of parents anxiously turned up at the kalyana mandapam with the photographs of their missing children in a bid to ascertain whether their children were also abused by these gangs and were seen frantically looking at each face in a bid to spot their missing children.

The focus was more on North Indian gangs that dominated the traffic signals with children crying all the time because of the wounds inflicted by the child traffickers.

Those who were seen with long hair and beard were given a hair dressing and a bath, besides food and clothes.

Don Bosco Anbu Illam had counsellors to interact with those removed from the roads, in a bid to ascertain needs and provide rehabilitation.

At the end of the day, the authorities classified the removed alms-seekers.

Around 8 p.m., the authorities said that there were 44 children, 166 men and 99 women including those hailing from other States.

There were 14 mentally retarded persons living on the roadsides.

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