Child rights body identifies 59 begging hot spots in Delhi

DCPCR CHIEF ANURAG KUNDU SAID THE BODY

HAS BEGUN TAKING NECESSARY STEPS, INCLUDING RESCUE OPERATIONS

NEW DELHI: The Delhi Commission for Protection of Child Rights (DCPCR) on Saturday said it has identified 59 “child-begging hot spots” in the national capital where it has started necessary interventions, including rescue operations, to ensure a normal life for such street children.

Addressing a press conference on Saturday, DCPCR chairperson Anurag Kundu said the Covid-19 pandemic and the subsequent large scale unemployment and job losses increased the population of urban poor under the poverty line in Delhi. He did not give any figures to support the claim.

“We are conducting a survey to identify street children and so far we have zeroed in on 59 hot spots where children are either used as a front to sell random items on the streets or are forced into it by their families or are abandoned. Those who are abandoned will be sent to children’s homes, while those who are being used as a front for criminal or illegal activities will be rescued by our teams. Those who are pushed into it by their families will be counselled and monitored,” he said.

Among the 59 “child-begging hot spots” identified include ITO, below IIT flyover, GTB Nagar, Majnu Ka Tila, Zakir Nagar and Rajouri Garden.

Kundu said that as part of the drive, they have carried out eight rescue operations in the hot spots in which 56 children were rescued.

Kundu also hailed the Delhi high court order on October 1, closing 1,108 cases of petty crimes allegedly committed by juveniles and ordering their immediate release as the enquiry in the cases were pending for over a year.