Live
- AAP Announces Final Candidate List For 2025 Delhi Assembly Elections, Kejriwal To Contest From New Delhi
- Bangladesh unrest has delayed execution of some vital projects: Tripura CM
- PIL in SC seeks direction to designate BMC as sole planning, sanctioning authority for Mumbai
- 3rd Test: Centuries from Head, Smith help dominant Australia feast on listless India
- AAP final list of 38 names in Delhi: Kejriwal, CM Atishi retain seats
- Tributes Paid to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel on His Death Anniversary at CM Revanth Reddy's Residence
- In just one year, Bhajanlal govt wins hearts of people
- CM Chandrababu announces establishment of Potti Sriramulu Telugu University
- Sutume, Kissa win World 25K Kolkata; India's Gulveer makes course record
- US accounts for 18 per cent of Indian exports in FY24
Dharmapuri VIP bathing ghats to be beggar-free
Dharmapuri VIP bathing ghats to be beggar-free. Many VIP ghats at Dharmapuri would be made beggar-free during the Godavari Pushkaralu, to be held from July 14 to 25.
Dharmapuri (Karimnagar): Many VIP ghats at Dharmapuri would be made beggar-free during the Godavari Pushkaralu, to be held from July 14 to 25. During the last Pushkarams in 2003 also, all the beggars were shifted to Gudemgutta. In the same way, this time too, the district administration is likely to shift hundreds of beggars from VIP bathing ghats, where they have been seeking alms for many decades to get a square meal a day.
The district administration, especially the police department, was very particular about security arrangements at Dharmapuri, where Governor E S L Narasimhan, Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao and other VIPs are likely to take a holy dip on the first day of the Pushkaralu. There are reports about the likely visit of President Pranab Mukherjee to Dharmapuri.
It may be recalled here that shifting of beggars from Hyderabad ahead of the visits of former US Presidents Bill Clinton and George W Bush by the then Chief Ministers N Chandarababu Naidu and Y S Rajasekhara Reddy respectively, evoked sharp criticism from various sections of the society.
Speaking to The Hans India, a 70-year-old beggar, Suri Yellaiah said that he has been eking out a living seeking alms at these bathing ghats since 40 years. “This is the only chance for us to get more money since lakhs of people will come here to take a holy dip in Godavari River during Pushkaralu. They usually give money to beggars,” he added.
Another beggar, Narayana (75) lamented that there was no freedom for beggars even after formation of separate Telangana State. “All of us forcibly lifted out from our shelters at midnight and dumped at Gudemgutta area, just a few days before the visit of the then Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, during the 2003 Pushkaralu,” he recalled.
Marishetty Veeraiah, a native of Dammannapet village in Dharmapuri mandal visits the temple town daily to get alms and returns his native village in the evening. He said that he has been begging at various bathing ghats for the past five years, as his wife, son and daughter left him after he became crippled in an accident. He was worried it would be difficult for him if he was shifted to other place.
Beside the 50 beggars at Santoshi Matha temple, there are more at the main temple and other places in the temple town. Not only beggars, but the petty vendors at the VIP bathing ghats were also worried as the police already ordered them to vacate the place since the areas would be cordoned off at the time of Pushkaraalu. A coconut vendor, Nirankari Laxman said it would be the right time for them to earn extra money and would be difficult for them if they move from there.
By Raghu Paithari
