Highlighting the plight of child beggars in the city, a PIL has sought Delhi High Court direction to ensure their rehabilitation and eliminate child beggary. After brief arguments, a bench of Chief Justice G Rohini and Justice P S Teji posted the matter for further consideration on January 7. “The issue of child begging is already seized by the Supreme Court and it was already monitoring the same. We will keep the matter pending,” the bench said. The PIL, filed by Ajay Gautam, sought directions to identifying exact number of destitute children who are involved in begging and to review the steps taken to solve this problem. “The Delhi government exhausted every possible tool to eradicate beggary during the run-up to the Games. However, immediately after the games, the situation became the same,” the plea claimed. It contends that though Delhi State Commission for Protection of Child Rights was formed on July 7, 2008, to eradicate child beggary in the city, it has failed in its task. “While the Centre has enacted variety of legislation for children, it has failed to ensure that children do not beg,” the plea said.
