Begging in public transport

Any kind of begging is banned inside of public transport. The question is whether street singers are allowed to come inside the public transport after the new rule had been enforced. Are they also beggars?

Ganga ILLEPERUMA

As we walk along the byways and highways we notice a few all the time expecting donations, such people even knock on your doors asking for food, clothing and even cash.

We also see vans plying about with a loud speaker calling for big donations to have some surgical operation for someone in the family that cannot bear the big expenses.

It is true that Government hospitals are free for all. The service though inadequate it is yet available. Pay for care hospitals are much better, but if you can’t afford it, use the Government ones.

Any kind of begging was banned in public transportation on April 1, 2010. But hundreds of beggars, both young and old, can be seen inside public transportation. Meanwhile, thousands of other beggars go from house to house in rural areas.

Some have no hand or leg. Others have disfigurements. But missing an arm or a leg doesn’t mean they can’t work.

It just means they’ve chosen to beg instead of getting a job. Nowadays the trend is to carry a baby to the public transportation vehicle. Sometimes they borrow or rent a kid for the day, to take more sympathy from passengers because there’s a kid. Some do not move away until you give them money.

The thing is, you don’t know where the money is really going. Anyone can say they have a sick child. What does it prove? But all are not like that.

Most of the beggars do not have permanent residents but some live in luxurious houses. Sometimes their houses are better than ours! The number of beggars are increasing day by day.

When I travel by train everyday to office from Panadura to Colombo I notice most beggars still get into the trains. Most of them are not disabled.

They can earn money by doing some sort of work. But they beg because they are lazy. They think that begging is the easiest way of living. Sometimes at the end of the day beggars earn more than us without doing any hard work! These days it is rare to see beggars in buses because many conductors do not give them a chance to get in. Even children can be seen begging. This is a very sad state of affairs. Most of these children have lost their parental love and affection.

Even though beggars are not allowed to come inside public transport still some of them get in. Others are street singers. They also come with some music instrument, sing two or three songs and earn money. Sometimes I can see passengers enjoying their songs and music.

They do not dress as beggars. Most of them can work. Any kind of begging is banned inside of public transport. The question is whether street singers are allowed to come inside the public transport after the new rule had been enforced. Are they also beggars?

Making a rule is not enough to stop begging inside public transport. We have to implement it. It is the duty of the government to look into this burning problem and take steps to wipe out begging. This can be done by setting up special homes for beggars.

The Government alone cannot solve this problem. All the social service associations and other voluntary organizations should extend their co-operation towards the Government in this connection.

Children engaged in begging should be schooled and taught. The able bodied must be provided with some sort of employment. Laws should be passed to ban begging.