Admin launches drive to make Ambala free of child beggars

Nitish Sharma

The district administration has launched a campaign to make Ambala free of child beggars by rescuing children involved in begging, motivating them to stop begging and counselling them and their parents. A story titled ‘Gen Next begging for alms, anyone listening?’ was carried in these columns on November 16. 

Baljeet Kaur, District Programme Officer, Ambala, said: “We held a meeting with the officials of the Child Welfare Committee, Labour Department, Women and Child Development Department and Childline to chalk out a strategy to make Ambala child-beggar free. Children involved in begging would be shifted to open shelter home (from 9 am to 5 pm), where they would be provided food, counselling and motivated to stop begging. The parents of these children will also be counselled and asked not to engage children in such activities, to send them to schools or open shelter homes, where they would be given proper food, healthcare and education.”

“District Child Welfare Officer has also been asked to ensure that the children are accepted at the open shelter home and if any kind of night shelter is required, then that will also be provided as per the rules. The Anganwadi workers will keep a close tab on such activities and they would immediately report to the child helpline, and the child helpline will produce children before the CWC,” she said. 

The DPO said: “If any child is selling something, we can’t take action, but if any child is found begging, we will rescue the child. All officials concerned have been issued directions across the district. The work has been started and it will be a continuous process and a close watch will be kept on such activities across the district.”

Naresh Mittal, general secretary, Zila Yuva Vikas Sangathan that runs Childline in Ambala, said: “The Childline in association with the officials concerned will be rescuing child beggars and they will be produced before the CWC for further orders regarding the shelter. As soon as a call is received, a team of childline will reach the spot to rescue the child.”