The beggars didn’t die in vain, after all
The Social Welfare Department (SWD), which handed over the Beggars Colony land to the BDA on the instructions of then chief minister B S Yeddyurappa, is finally making an effort to get the land back. A flurry of activity recently indicated that SWD is in the process of submitting a proposal to the government on its plans to expand the Colony.
After the large scale disaster that came to light following deaths of inmates in the Colony in August 2010, the Department scrambled to set things in order. This included a host of initiatives like identifying the beggars, taking their biometric information, maintaining their health records, posting the necessary paramedical staff and most importantly, psychiatric counselling for many of the inmates.
Apart from efficiently cleaning up the place, the number of inmates was reduced and they now number about 300.
Today, the Rehabilitation Centre is a beehive of activity with inmates involved in a host of activities like learning useful skills, practising yoga and even reading, as a large well-stocked library operates on its premises.
But according to SWD officials, there is a more ambitious plan on the anvil. Earlier, the Department did not have enough funds to implement its programmes for the Centre. The three per cent beggary cess collected on property tax by BBMP rarely made its way to the SWD coffers. But all that has changed now. SWD is sitting pretty on Rs 30 crore and more will be coming soon. This has enabled the department to think of an expansion programme that it did not dare before.
In 2007, the government had submitted an affidavit in the High Court wringing its hands in despair about the attempts to encroach this precious land. The Government declared its plan to construct hostel facilities for SCs, STs and OBCs and increase the facilities for the present relief centre. This was done by adding three additional dormitories in 2008.
But the full plan is now being mooted for the Sumanahalli Leprosy Centre, which the SWD wants for itself. The expansion plan for the Centre now includes building more facilities for the rehabilitation of beggars. A survey is being conducted in Bangalore’s urban and rural areas to ascertain the number of beggars. An initial count in Bangalore has thrown up more than 4,000 people as beggars. Based on this number, the Department hopes to convince the government to expand the present premises to accommodate more people.
Moreover, there is an ongoing conflict as far as the agreement with BDA regarding the transfer of land is concerned. While 38 acres were earmarked under specific survey numbers for resettling the beggars, these survey numbers have been changed without informing the SWD.
The present piece of land, according to officials in the SWD, was a lake 10 years ago. The lake has dried up and lies at a level far lower than the land surrounding it. This means, the area will be inundated every time it rains. Furious officials cited the original agreement which stated that if there was any change in the conditions, then a fresh approval and order had to be issued. BDA has once again played truant and has not conformed to this agreement. With the recent memo to the Court by the government that they are reconsidering the transfer of land, SWD might really have its way.
