Kids beg at traffic signals as Amritsar administration looks other way

Manmeet Singh Gill

Amritsar, January 16

In what is certainly not a pleasing sight, small children belonging to migrant families can be seen cleaning windscreens of four-wheelers and begging for alms from vehicle owners at various traffic intersections in city.

The ‘windscreen beggars’ can be spotted at SSSS Chowk, Novelty Chowk, Custom Chowk and many other prominent traffic intersections. Besides, they can also be spotted in nearby market places where they beg people for money and food.

Adult members of their families, including men and women, often accompany them while they beg for alms. These kids move from vehicle to vehicle to collect money given by commuters.

Some children are often barefoot with no shoes while they seek alms. Though begging is a crime, there is no check on their growing number in the city. “The administration must question adults accompanying these child beggars. What if these children get hurt in an accident? They are so small that a driver of a vehicle cannot see them if they stand in front of an SUV,” said Gurraj Singh, a local resident.

Residents feel that adults accompanying these children use them as a bait to evoke emotional response from commuters. “Most adults accompanying children are able bodied and can easily find work. Families of such children are committing a crime by making them beg. They also expose them to harsh weather conditions. The administration must intervene to prevent children from begging,” said another resident.