Drive against child beggars kicks off

Tribune News Service

Patiala, February 19

In an effort towards making the city free of child beggary, a 200-km walk is being organised in the city.

Deputy Commissioner Kumar Amit and Baltej Singh Mann, member, National Commission for Minority Educational Intuitions (NCMEI), flagged off the walk today. 

On the first day of the week-long campaign, volunteers of Har Hath Kalam, an NGO, covered 2,500 households while walking through Urban Estate Phases I, II and III, Punjabi University, Professor Colony, Heera Bagh and Dogra Mohalla.

The volunteers shouted the slogan, ‘Bheekh Hatao, Desh Bachao’, on the way. They walked around 50 km today to create the awareness among the city residents about the campaign.

According to a survey by the NGO, Patiala is sheltering over 1,500 beggars.

The campaign will continue till February 25, during which awareness programmes will be organised in the city.

Harsh, founder of the NGO, said, “Child beggars are part of a forced beggary racket. Children are trained in carrying crutches to play disabled on road. At the end of the day, they are paid Rs 10 or 20 out of the alms they receive through the day.”

More than 60 schools and colleges have taken an oath under the ongoing campaign to support the social cause.

On February 9, the Child Welfare Department here had conducted raids in different parts of the city and rescued five child beggars. The district officials said the raids would continue in future as well.