Leprosy mailing list – July 10th,
2006
Ref.:
Beggars in
Andhra Pradesh
From:
Vijay, Hyderabad, India
Dear Dr. Noto and Dr. Soldenhoff,
This is a delayed response to your mail in the Leprosy
mailing list of 13th June 06, about “Beggars to get 3
year workhouse” based on a newspaper report in Andhra Pradesh. We
tried to look at this issue from the point of view of NGOs working for
leprosy affected persons in Andhra Pradesh. The said newspaper report
dated 4th April 06 – as mentioned in the report itself
– is a fallout of a recent High Court direction to the government on
stopping begging in public places. The High Court was responding to a
Public Interest Litigation requesting to enforce a 28 years old Act on
the subject.
The enforcement authority is Police and rehabilitation is
organized by the social welfare department. They make a classification
of all beggars arrested under the law and subject to a medical
examination, and the people classified as ‘healthy’ and above the
age of 16 are sent to the “work house”. Among the categories who
are not healthy, there is one category called ‘people suffering from
leprosy and other communicable diseases’. However the department is
not clear on what to do with the leprosy affected as of now.
The details of this issue are related to beggary – an area
which the leprosy organizations are not familiar with. People in
general are feeling relaxed to find that government is going to do to
keep the beggary menace away. Among the beggars’ circles any
deformity – whether it was due to leprosy or something else is
considered (unfortunately) a boon as it would fetch them more money.
There are institutions providing food and shelter to beggars of
various categories – though without any special provisions for
leprosy affected. The systems are not foolproof – one would find
many beggars even now at
Hyderabad
streets, though at a reduced rate.
We will be happy to assist you with any more information
available on this issue.
Regards,
Vijay
(Regional Director, AP and Other States, LEPRA Society)
