Staff Reporter
Margao
In response to a rise in cases of child begging across South Goa, District Collector Egna Cleetus on Tuesday issued directives to the authorities and relevant agencies to take immediate action, strengthen enforcement, and ensure the rehabilitation of affected children.
The action comes after the High Court observed the need to prohibit begging. The court had emphasised that it was necessary to get to the root cause of children found begging in the state.
“Instances of child begging in public spaces across South Goa have increased, and in order to protect children from exploitation and ensure their rehabilitation, these interim directions are issued for immediate compliance, including the identification of hotspots, collective operations of rescue and enforcement, and reporting and coordination,” the order stated.
The order directed the Superintendent of Police (SP), South Goa, to coordinate with the District Child Protection Unit (DCPU), local bodies, NGOs, and other stakeholders to conduct a joint survey to map and identify hotspots where child begging is prevalent.
Regarding enforcement, the order called for targeted rescue operations in identified areas with the support of the Child Welfare Committee (CWC) and NGOs.
“During such drives, utmost care shall be taken to ensure that rescued children are treated with dignity and sensitivity. All rescued children must be produced before the CWC without delay and placed in appropriate child care institutions for rehabilitation.”
Cleetus also directed the SP to submit a fortnightly report on the number of children rescued, FIRs registered, persons apprehended, and rehabilitation measures initiated. Additionally, the SP has been asked to appoint a nodal officer to coordinate follow-ups with the district administration and CWCs.
