Special control room to tackle begging, Govt tells SC

The Delhi Government on Thursday told the Supreme Court that it is considering the setting up of a special control room to tackle the menace of begging in the national capital.

The Delhi Government on Thursday told the Supreme Court that it is considering the setting up of a special control room to tackle the menace of begging in the national capital.

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The proposed control room would enable the citizens and other stakeholders to lodge complaints/suggestions and pass on information about beggars through a toll free number, the government said in an affidavit submitted by Additional Solicitor General Mohan Parsaran.

The affidavit claimed 13 anti-begging teams have been formed in the city to round up beggars and certain areas have been declared "Zero Tolerance zones."

Biometric machines has been set up at the Sewa Kutir complex, Kingsway Camp, in order to identify repeat offenders and consolidate the records for appropriate action.

According to government, it has also started special awareness campaign to build up public opinion against begging and efforts were being coordinated with temple committees, gurudwara prabandhak committees and railway authorities to curb the menance.

The affidavit explained the setting up of two exclusive mobile courts for conducting trial of beggars and measures taken for vocational training and other rehabilitation at the special homes in Lampur Complex and Nirmal Chhaya.

It said children found begging have been referred to child welfare committees constituted under the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2000.

Government has filed the affidavit in response to a PIL seeking direction to the the authorities to end the increasing menace of begging in Delhi and take appropriate steps for their rehabilitation.

A bench of Justices Dalveer Bhandari and K S Radhakrishnan, while taking on record the affidavit, adjourned the matter to the third week of May.