Panaji: The High Court has sought comprehensive records on the rescue, repatriation and rehabilitation of children found begging in Goa after it was pointed out that several children rescued and sent back to their hometowns were subsequently found begging in Goa again.
Hearing a PIL on child begging, the High Court said that a significant number of rescued children originate from Dharashiv (Osmanabad) district of Maharashtra and expressed concern over the lack of follow-up and rehabilitation tracking after repatriation.
The court directed the secretary, Women and Child Development Department, Maharashtra, to be impleaded as a respondent to ensure interstate coordination and accountability.
The North and South Goa Child Welfare Committees (CWCs) have been directed to submit details of all children rescued from street begging during the past two years, including their placement and repatriation.
The High Court expressed concern over children from other states being subjected to exploitation, including paedophilia, especially along Goa’s beach belts. It also referred to month-to-month legal research findings by Goa State Legal Services Authority volunteers pointing to exploitation of children and women from other states being pushed into prostitution.
The court clarified that the identities and other sensitive details of the minor children must be protected from public disclosure, and ordered that identifying records and sensitive data be submitted separately under sealed cover. The PIL is likely to be listed for further consideration in the first week of September.
