Hyderabad homeless left high and dry

Hyderabad: Homeless people in the twin cities could not get the much publicised attention of the State government in reality and hordes of them can be seen lingering on footpaths. Their only support for food and other requirements are NGOs and social groups that have been doing whatever they could do for them.

With tears in his eyes, Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao made a promise that he would to make city ‘homeless free’ and take up this issue on a priority basis when he took charge at the Secretariat three years ago.

However, even today, the promise stands unfulfilled and the city roads and traffic junctions are testimony to the neverending trails of the homeless people. Most of the abandoned people are being dubbed as beggars but in reality, they are not.

Ramulu, a 68-year-old person who lives on the footpath across the streets of Krishnanagar said that he was abandoned by his family and now he lives on alms and food provided by people.

He said, “Sometimes, I get food two times a day and at other times, I have to starve for two days. I have worked as a daily wager when I was in good health but my sons have deserted me.”

People think that I am a beggar or professional but I only beg when extremely hungry, he lamented. There are many such people who are abandoned by their families and that they do not like resorting to begging on the street corners. They don’t even ask for help and just lie on the footpaths. Though the State government has done some work on this front and a few night shelters were constructed in different parts of the city, not all chose to stay there.

Shankar, 72, another old man near Mahavir said that it would be very tough to live in the shelters provided by the State government. He lies on the footpath near a Church in the area and visitors give him food and clothes.

He said, “I have been staying on footpaths ever since my wife died five years back. My only son went to Mumbai long back leaving me without any option. K Divyapranitha, an activist working for the abandoned or beggars in the city said that a joint drive has been conducted with GHMC to find out the genuinely suffering persons and identifying professional beggars in the past.

She said, “It is a very difficult task and there must be concrete and comprehensive steps by the State government to help the really miserable persons living on the roads.” Only NGOs and social workers cannot handle these many people and they can only help few, she added. She said that in many cases, physically amputated, mentally unsound and visually handicapped persons are also abandoned by their families besides the aged.