Alms-seekers back in business despite ban in Kozhikode

Increase in number of migrants engaged in begging in city

Despite the ban on begging, there is no decline in the number of alms-seekers in public places in the city. The main concern is the increasing number of migrants, including elderly women, engaged in begging in the area, making various schemes introduced by the district administration for street dwellers’ welfare and rehabilitation futile.

The majority of them are now concentrated at the beaches of Kozhikode. Home guards and the police are seemingly disinterested to stop and guide them to seek rehabilitation support. Since the lifting of COVID-19 regulations, their presence has been found steadily increasing around prominent tourism spots.

“From where they come or go is a mystery for all. They seek alms to buy food, which is totally unbelievable in a city like Kozhikode where a number of free food supply projects are available for the needy,” says Vinitha Vijayan, a Kudumbashree worker in the city.