Police vow hassle-free tourism year

Round up beggars and street children in major hubs

Police in association with Nepal Tourism Board, local clubs and civil society have launched a massive drive to make major tourist hubs in the Capital city hassle-free for tourists.

The move coincides with the Nepal Tourism Year-2011 when thousands of tourists flock the country.

SP Rajendra Shrestha, chief of Metropolitan Police Range, Hanumandhoka, said they decided to act following complaints from businesspersons that beggars and street children were causing nuisance to the visitors, sending a wrong message to prospective tourists and tarnishing nation’s image.

“It is time to act to make NTY-2011 a success. We have launched the clean-up drive with special focus on Thamel, New Road, Basantapur and Durbar Marg areas — the major tourist destinations in Kathmandu,” he informed.

“We have rounded up around 27 beggars and street children today”.

SP Shrestha said police were keeping a vigil on them for the past few days before swooping on them today. The beggars and street children were found to be blackmailing and cheating tourists for monetary gains.

MPR has also made elaborate security arrangements in tourist hubs to ensure law and order.

“Haggling with tourists over money, blackmailing them and snatching their valuables will tarnish the country’s image. We are extremely serious about this,” SP Shrestha said.

“The operation will continue in the days ahead,” he added.

The street children and beggars in the age group of 11-28 were kept in Pashupati Bankali Dharmasala where they were given moral education. Later they were handed over to Voice of the Children, a local NGO.

Source: Himalayan