Lucknow: In a bid to make the district free from child begging, District Magistrate Vishak G conducted an inspection of Hussain Ganj and Burlington intersections to verify the ongoing efforts of designated teams tackling the issue.
The District Magistrate emphasized that 13 major intersections in the city—Polytechnic Chauraha, IGP Chauraha, Awadh Chauraha, Hazratganj Chauraha, Charbagh Chauraha, Hussain Ganj Chauraha, Burlington Chauraha, Bhootnath Chauraha, Phoenix Mall Chauraha, Lalbatti Chauraha, Telibagh Chauraha, Engineering College Chauraha, and Aliganj Chauraha—have been assigned joint teams comprising personnel from AHQ, the Municipal Corporation, and the Probation Office. These teams are consistently monitoring signal points to prevent child begging, counseling the individuals involved, and working towards their reintegration into mainstream society.
During his visit, the District Magistrate engaged in discussions with the monitoring team stationed at the intersection. The team reported that 2-4 individuals engaged in begging were identified at this location, primarily from Kakori and Gosainganj. Since the inception of the monitoring drive, a significant decline in the number of individuals begging at signals has been observed. The presence of beggars along main roads has also decreased considerably.
The District Magistrate instructed the teams to extend their surveillance to other areas where child begging has been reported. He directed them to conduct random surprise inspections at various intersections to further curb the menace of child begging.
Furthermore, he emphasized the need for stringent monitoring at Charbagh Bus Stop and Railway Station. He instructed that NGOs should be engaged in counseling individuals engaged in begging at railway stations and ensuring their relocation to shelter homes. The District Magistrate also directed officials to identify and track children found begging or selling items at signals. Their origins should be traced, and their families should be counseled to avail benefits from government welfare schemes, ultimately integrating them into mainstream society.
The initiative marks a crucial step in Lucknow’s efforts to address the issue of child begging and provide a rehabilitative pathway for affected individuals.
