The Hindu : Child-friendly plan to curb begging

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Jan 25, 2004

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Child-friendly plan to curb begging

By Ramya Kannan

A beggar at the General Patters Road-Anna Salai junction during peak-hour traffic. - Photo: N. Sridharan

CHENNAI, JAN. 24. The State Government has made yet another attempt at preventing child begging in the city. In an approach marrying sensitivity with firmness, it hopes to crack down on syndicates, which promote begging.

Taking the cue from previous efforts, the city-level Anti-Child Beggary Committee has chalked out a series of plans. The city has been divided into nine zones and efforts to rescue children in each zone will be monitored by a local-level committee.

At its last meeting, the city-level committee decided to take action against those who force kids into the `profession'. The police have been advised to "come down heavily" on any syndicate forcing children to beg. The offenders can be booked under the Juvenile Justice Act.

"The project will be child-friendly. No child will be penalised," assured Mohammed Nazimuddin, director, Social Defence. The usual procedure is to rescue the child, summon the parents/guardians and counsel them. They are provided shelter in government homes, if necessary.

Last year, 65 children (22 girls and 43 boys) were rescued from Chennai streets. These include month-old babies, who were used by their siblings and parents. Child Line, a phone outreach programme, receives a number of calls from the public who spot the children in distress at traffic junctions, bus stops and railway stations.

S.Saravanan, Indian Council for Child Welfare Child Line coordinator, said the unit had been rescuing children of all ages from different parts.

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