HYDERABAD: Be prepared to see more people seeking alms at traffic signals, near malls and eateries. The state prisoners and correctional services department has released about 500 beggars, who were earlier rescued and rehabilitated by the government.
The rehabilitation of beggars began three years back at the behest of V.K Singh, then additional DGP, Telangana Prisoners and Correctional Services (TPCS). The rescued vagabonds were shifted to Cherlapally and Chanchalguda prisons, which had separate rehabilitation centres. Sources said that more than 500 persons were rescued, including women.
DIG of TPCS N. Murali Babu said here on Monday that they had to close the rehabilitation service due to a fund crunch. All rescued persons were released, he said.
Sources said that prison department officials have located the family members to whom they handed over the released persons.
Amma Nanna Foundation head Gattu Shankar said that they had been taking care of people with mental disorders in their rehabilitation centre at Choutuppal. "We have constructed a new building to accommodate more than 2,000 persons. GHMC officials who rescued beggars used to send them to us for rehabilitation purposes,” Shankar said.
Sattaiah, a 45 year-old beggar at Balanagar junction, said that he was not aware of the rehabilitation centre as no one had approached him. He is not willing to stay at the rehabilitation centre, though, he said.
