Nagpur: In a bid to make the city more beautiful and attractive ahead of G20, Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) and Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar have taken an initiative to ban beggars from begging at the signals and squares.
The C20/ G20 delegates will be witnessing a ‘beautified’ and ‘beggar-free’ city as termed by the Nagpur Police. As per a report, city police chief Amitesh Kumar said, “Police and NMC had been holding discussions for the last one week to plan the drive. The presence of beggars on the streets brings bad name to the city at a time when it is being beautified in view of the G20 summit.”
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Wednesday 15 Jan. 2025
But what if beggars are found begging?
If a beggar is found begging on the streets or signals, they can face imprisonment up to six months. The order approved by the NMC and Nagpur police will be applicable from March 9 to April 30, unless withdrawn earlier. The notification has been issued under Section 144 of the CrPC.
Where are the beggars going to go?
Various reports suggest that beggars will be relocated to the shelter homes with the assistance of several NGOs. However, when asked by NMC Commissioner Radhakrishnan B, he said that assistance will be provided to the beggars, however, beggars who are above the age of 60 or are pregnant will be shifted. “We will try to provide maximum assistance and will explore to maximum,” the NMC chief said.
Has this happened only in Nagpur?
Well, Nagpur is not just the first and only place to face this. Delhi, too, has been gearing up for the G20 summit and the news of slum demolition is making rounds.
Other than this, ahead of former US President Donald Trump’s daughter and advisor Ivanka Trump’s visit to Hyderabad, begging was made illegal in the city. In another instance, ahead of the former US President’s visit to Ahmedabad, the slums of the city were covered behind a wall.
