Urban News

The Hindu  13.12.2010

Schemes to help children picked up for begging

Staff Reporter

KOCHI: The Kochi City Police have started many schemes to rehabilitate the children picked up for begging and labour, as part of the State wide drive taken up by the State police against the crime.

During the recent drive, the City Police could spot 17 children in these conditions and they were moved to rehabilitation centres.

The City Police have launched an awareness campaign to garner public support for the drive. Orphanages and other similar lodging points for children are being closely monitored for any abuse of children's rights. Surprise checks are also being done at many places.

Similarly, the City Police have stepped up surveillance at entry points to the city, traffic signals, footpaths, tourist spots, places of worship and pilgrim centres as well as parks in the city to spot instances of children being used for begging.

Discussions would be initiated with Corporation authorities, Social Welfare Department and other official bodies concerned to ensure that rehabilitated children are given proper care and education, said Manoj Abraham, City Police Commissioner.

Most often, these children are not provided any vocational training and in the absence of proper follow-up to the rehabilitation process it is not uncommon to see that these children return to the streets.

The City Police have also been complaining for long about absence of proper rehabilitation facilities for those picked up from the streets.

The City Police have also sought support from the public to fight the social menace of begging. The public can contact the police by calling the Control Room (phone number 100) or the office of the City Special Branch (2385002), said Mr. Abraham.

The Hindu  11.12.2010

Disabilities Commissioner castigates BBMP for poor track record

Staff Reporter

LAME EXCUSE:Three per cent of the revenue from local bodies is allocated for disability welfare programmes, but the BBMP has not put it to proper use.

BANGALORE: The Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike has not been able to implement any rehabilitation or inclusivity programmes for the disabled, for which it allocates budgets every year. Out of Rs 4.4 crore allocated in 2009-2010, only Rs. 92 lakh was used. The 2010-2011 budgetary allocation, worth Rs. 10 crore, is as yet untouched.

In the absence of any programme or structured plans to work towards inclusivity and to help those with disabilities, these funds are being “diverted” every year, alleged K.V. Rajanna, State Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities, at a press conference here on Friday.

Neglect alleged

However, after holding talks with the BBMP Welfare Department, Mr. Rajanna said the palike has agreed to start a survey to count the number of disabled persons in the city within the next three months. Further, the Commissioner and BBMP officials will meet in the coming days to sit down and chalk out “concrete plans” to see how the funds can be effectively utilised. “The track record of the BBMP in this matter has been bad. They have neglected the disability community all these years and deprived them of programmes for which money has come in,” he said.

Three per cent of the revenue from local bodies is allocated for disability welfare programmes, he pointed out.

Official hard-pressed

In Bangalore, where an estimated 30,000 to 40,000 persons live with disabilities, there is only one District Disability Welfare Officer. Even this official has no support staff. “In fact, the officer does not even have a car to travel around, and is burdened with several other responsibilities,” he said.

Mr. Rajanna proposed that the BBMP appoint one disability welfare officer for every one of its eight zones. At least two support staff must be allotted to each zone, and other infrastructure must be provided, he added.