From Feb,dial 1098 to rescue child beggars

The Indian Institute of Mass Communication and an advertising agency are working together on the campaign. “We are initiating the campaign on a war footing from next month,which at present,is in the planning stages. The campaign will allow citizens to be directly involved in the project,” said Social Welfare Minister Mangat Ram Singhal.

A recent study conducted by the School of Social Work of the Delhi University says there are nearly 58,000 beggars in Delhi,a majority of them children. “The moment you see a child begging on the road,all you have to do is call 1098. The call will be directed to a child welfare committee,which will then rescue the child in question and send him to the one of institutions run by the government or an NGO,” said a senior government official. At present,four child welfare committees have been roped in,with six members per zone. The Social Welfare department assures that a caller just needs to provide details of the location of the child and then continue on his/her way.

There is,however,a slight twist. In most cases,these children are usually accompanied by a parent. While rules state that no child can be separated from his or her parents,the Social Welfare department has found a way around this.

“In case parents are also present with the child,all of them would be presented in front of the child welfare committee. Details and photos of the entire family would be documented. If the child is found in the same situation again,he or she will be institutionalised,” added the officer.

The department is now working on the helpline — 1098,which had been started way back on October 2,1998. It is manned by NGO workers and is spread out over five zones. The campaign is going to be popularised by radio jingles and posters strategically placed at traffic intersections. The Social Welfare department is in talks with the Delhi Traffic police to start issuing fines to those found giving alms or buying items at traffic intersections.