There are an estimated 1,000 beggars in capital Shillong, a city of about 260,000 people.

'Most of the beggars we find on the streets of Shillong are non-locals and must have come from adjoining states or maybe outside the region for a living,' Lucy Lyngdoh, a woman vendor, said.

K. Kharshiing, a Shillong resident, said: 'It is true, tourists and visitors are always harassed by these beggars and it presents a shabby picture of our city.'

Municipal board officers and police will launch the crackdown Sep 1.

'Those who are homeless shall have to be kept in some rehabilitation centres for the time being, besides stopping at the entry points those trying to enter the state with the sole idea of making a living by begging here,' a municipal board official said.