VietNamNet Bridge - To deal with homeless beggars in a sustainable manner, HCM City authorities have called for people to not give money to beggars but instead give funds to charity organizations.

HCM City People's Committee has issued an urgent dispatch on strengthening management of homeless beggars in the city. According to the document, beggars disguised as vendors, disabled people and monks selling chewing gum and toothpicks at public sites have appeared in the city. Dealing with homeless beggars has been identified as one of the routine tasks of social management in the city.

From Dec. 28, the city will begin taking homeless beggars into charity centers. Local people are urged to provide information about homeless beggars to the authorities through the following phone numbers 38.292491 (work hours), 0903.959929 and 35.533258 (24/7) to receive a bonus.

Beggars who ask for money in public places in any manner will be sent to social centers for care and management. If beggars are mendicant monks, they will be required to obtain a certificate from a relevant agency under the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha so they can be excluded from the campaign. Those suffering from mental diseases or show signs of mental disorders will be sent to the Mental People Caring Center.

After being sent to this center and the city Social Sponsoring Center, beggars and homeless people will be classified in groups and have personal files set up.

The city has asked local people and visitors to donate to charity organizations rather than give money to beggars.

The city recently launched a campaign to send homeless drug addicts to rehab centers. So far more than 1,500 drug addicts have been sent to the Binh Trieu Rehabilitation Center in Binh Thanh District and the Nhi Xuan Vocational Training and Job Creation Center in Hoc Mon District.

Le Ha