HYDERABAD: Nearly 98 per cent of the beggars found begging at traffic signals, bus stops, railway stations, shopping malls, restaurants, religious places and other crowded places in the city are fake.
Greater Hyderabad has become a home for as many as 15,000 beggars and out of them only some two per cent are genuine. According to Amma Nanna Ananda Ashramam president Gatta Shankar, they are mentally retarded and insane seeking alms to fill their stomach.
A study conducted by the volunteers of the ANAA found that out of the 15,000 beggars in the city, nearly 98 per cent are fake.
By begging at crowded places, a beggar makes between Rs 1000 and Rs 2,000 per day. To make an impression on the almsgivers, they make fake wounds on their bodies and some turn blind to deceive the almsgivers. Few carry babies and the babies are supplied by mafia group, who pay daily rent to get a baby.
ANAA has launched a campaign to identify the real beggars and provide them rehabilitation in cooperation with GHMC by providing food and shelter.
They have identified 500 genuine beggars in the last six months, out of which at present 50 beggars have been rehabilitated at ANAA at Choutuppal.