Srinagar, May 13: With government failing to keep a check on the inflow of non-local beggars into this summer Capital, the City has become a safe-haven for these professional beggars as they roam freely around pestering the locals and tourists, alike.
 Not only this, they find this City as most “profitable” place to get alms than elsewhere in the country.
 In Srinagar, these beggars can be seen almost everywhere, particularly at tourist spots and at busy City centre areas like Lal Chowk and its surroundings.
 Observers said this affects the tourism industry. Convener, Hotelier Club, Tariq Rashid said: “Growing number of non-local beggars is a cause of worry for authorities as well as to the business community. Our tourists get annoyed, because they(beggars) don’t leave them until they are given money.”
 “They hunt in groups and when they get hold of anybody they want to make money out from the catch,” Rashid said adding that the Hotelier Club has raised this issue with concerned officials a number of times but till now no action was initiated. He also feared that beggars could be carriers of some diseases as they live in unhygienic places.
 But the non-local beggars have their own reasons of coming to this City, again and again. They find the annual visit to Srinagar, mostly during summers, more profitable than any of the metropolitan cities in the country.
 Ramesh, a non local beggar, is one of them who comes here along with his family of eight including two wives and their five kids.
 Said Ramesh: “I found Kashmiris most generous as compared to people of other parts of the country because here we earn good money.”
 The man from north Indian state of Uttar Pradesh said he has been coming to Srinagar for the last six years during summers when it is hot in his native area. “Without ever facing any inconvenience, we come here annually,” he added.
 And at times a single catch for the beggars means a big money. Inaam Ul Haq, a local said he was recently surrounded by group of non local beggars and was forced to pay Rs 100.
 “I was coming out from Residency Mall after purchasing some items, suddenly 10 to 15 non locals beggars surrounded me and started asking for money. When I tried to get money from pocket, suddenly one of them snatched a 100 Rupee note,” he complained.
 Lawyers said some laws aim at prevention of beggary in the state but that the government has failed to enforce them.

Lastupdate on : Sun, 13 May 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Sun, 13 May 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Mon, 14 May 2012 00:00:00 IST