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HILLONG: There are no more beggars to be seen in Shillong. They have either gone "underground" or into hiding with begging becoming an offence
in the scenic Scotland of East from Tuesday as part of the Clean Shillong Campaign.
"The government has decided to crack down on beggars in an attempt to refurbish the image of Shillong as a clean city. Begging is now an offence in the city and action will be taken against offenders by Shillong Municipal Board," urban affairs minister Paul Lyngdoh iterated.
He said making begging an offence is part of the drive to beautify the state capital and restore its past glory through the Clean Shillong Campaign.
The East Khasi Hills deputy commissioner has been asked to crack down on beggars, even though no clear-cut guidelines were issued on how to go about the job.
There were a good number of beggars and pavement dwellers in the city. Some of them were adults in poor health condition. Moreover, there are many juveniles who roam about in the city as beggars.
Lyngdoh said the Shillong Municipal Act, 1973 would be amended through an ordinance for which approval of the Cabinet was awaited. The proposed amendment seeks to increase penalty against vendors and public who create public nuisance.
"People are seen spitting and doing other things that cause public nuisance. The penalty for such offences would be increased from Rs 10 to Rs 200," Lyngdoh said.
About 49 volunteers, including staff from the Meghalaya Urban Development Authority (MUDA), would be engaged in the task.
The minister said there would be strict guidelines on putting up of billboards, hoardings and banners in the city. He added that even a few years ago, begging was alien to the tribals and considered a taboo. "But now even minor boys and girls can be seen begging in the state. It's really embarrassing to see tourists, particularly foreign nationals, being heckled by the beggars," Lyngdoh added. Thousands of tourists, both foreign and domestic, visit the state every year.
Incidentally, drives against beggars are nothing new in the hill city. A few years ago, authorities drew flak from the public after beggars were forcefully picked up and dumped at Byrnihat along the Assam-Meghalaya boundary. However, most of them were believed to have come back to the city later.
Commenting on the move to ban begging in the State, former chief secretary and now special representative of the National Human Rights Commission S K Tiwari said there should be an official notification to that effect for operationalization of the government decision. "You can't just pick up someone without any rhyme or reason," he said.
HILLONG: There are no more beggars to be seen in Shillong. They have either gone "underground" or into hiding with begging becoming an offence
in the scenic Scotland of East from Tuesday as part of the Clean Shillong Campaign.
"The government has decided to crack down on beggars in an attempt to refurbish the image of Shillong as a clean city. Begging is now an offence in the city and action will be taken against offenders by Shillong Municipal Board," urban affairs minister Paul Lyngdoh iterated.
He said making begging an offence is part of the drive to beautify the state capital and restore its past glory through the Clean Shillong Campaign.
The East Khasi Hills deputy commissioner has been asked to crack down on beggars, even though no clear-cut guidelines were issued on how to go about the job.
There were a good number of beggars and pavement dwellers in the city. Some of them were adults in poor health condition. Moreover, there are many juveniles who roam about in the city as beggars.
Lyngdoh said the Shillong Municipal Act, 1973 would be amended through an ordinance for which approval of the Cabinet was awaited. The proposed amendment seeks to increase penalty against vendors and public who create public nuisance.
"People are seen spitting and doing other things that cause public nuisance. The penalty for such offences would be increased from Rs 10 to Rs 200," Lyngdoh said.
About 49 volunteers, including staff from the Meghalaya Urban Development Authority (MUDA), would be engaged in the task.
The minister said there would be strict guidelines on putting up of billboards, hoardings and banners in the city. He added that even a few years ago, begging was alien to the tribals and considered a taboo. "But now even minor boys and girls can be seen begging in the state. It's really embarrassing to see tourists, particularly foreign nationals, being heckled by the beggars," Lyngdoh added. Thousands of tourists, both foreign and domestic, visit the state every year.
Incidentally, drives against beggars are nothing new in the hill city. A few years ago, authorities drew flak from the public after beggars were forcefully picked up and dumped at Byrnihat along the Assam-Meghalaya boundary. However, most of them were believed to have come back to the city later.
Commenting on the move to ban begging in the State, former chief secretary and now special representative of the National Human Rights Commission S K Tiwari said there should be an official notification to that effect for operationalization of the government decision. "You can't just pick up someone without any rhyme or reason," he said.
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