Hyderabad: Intensifying its efforts to make Hyderabad beggar-free, the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC), in association with Police and Revenue Departments, has once again launched the special drive to remove beggars from busy traffic junctions and public places. In the drive, over 221 individuals have been identified by special teams and 19 were shifted so far.
Taking note of the begging menace faced by pedestrians and commuters at signal crossings, GHMC has decided to launch a special drive to make the city beggar-free. As part of the drive, those who are identified will be shifted to the GHMC shelter homes and will be trained in skill development schemes to ensure they stand on their feet.
As per the orders of the GHMC Commissioner RV Karnan, beggars living at junctions and on footpaths in all circles under GHMC jurisdiction, mainly in Basheer Bagh, Secretariat, Nampally, Begum Bazar and other areas, are being identified and shifted to shelter homes run by GHMC. The rest are being counselled and sent to their own villages and residences.
This initiative has been being implemented intensively for the last couple of days under the auspices of the GHMC Urban Community Department. After receiving information about those begging at major intersections and religious places, arrangements are being made to shift them to GHMC shelter homes with the help of the police after medical examinations.
The officer said, “During the drive, the special teams were formed for the initiative, and as many as 221 people have been identified. Out of these, 173 are men, 37 are women and 11 are children. Out of these, 19 have been shifted to the shelter homes run by the GHMC, while the rest have been counselled and sent to their family members.”
The process of shifting beggars and those living on footpaths to shelter homes or to their family members will continue, and special teams have been formed for this, said GHMC UCD officials.
