The police on Friday concluded its intensive campaign against child begging --Operation Mukti which was conducted as an experiment in the provisional State capital of Uttarakhand.
Under the campaign district police and anti-trafficking units identified 292 street children, who were either found begging in the streets or were selling balloons or other things. Three of the identified children were also found to be under the influence of narcotics.
The campaign was successful in getting 68 children enrolled in schools including one admitted in Model School of National Institute for the Empowerment of Persons with Visual Disabilities (NIEPVD).
Director General of Police (DGP) Anil K Raturi said, “We will continue to do this good work in other districts as well. The work of the district police is commendable. It is an achievement for a life time if someone is able to change even one life for the better, here they have changed 68 lives, and it is an achievement for Uttarakhand police.” He further added, “Several non-governmental organisations have agreed to keep a check on the progress of these enrolled children. The department will also keep a track of them from time to time.” While addressing the programme conducted at Police Head Quarters, Circle Officer (city) Shekhar Suyal who was also the nodal officer of this campaign said, “For the period of two months the campaign was conducted in three stages. In the first stage 292 children from the areas of Dehradun city were identified.
In the second stage of the campaign, through social media, short movies in cinema halls and rallies, common citizens were asked to not give anything to the child beggars because it might encourage them to do it in future also, instead work on their collective social and skill development.
In the third stage 68 of the total identified children were enrolled in different schools with the help of government aided schemes.”
He added, “Also because in the month of June, summer vacations were going on, so in order to ensure that these children do not go back to their previous line of work, we also conducted free educational classes at different places.” It is pertinent to mention here that three cases have been registered against three women found begging on the streets. Also, the children identified were found at Darshanlal Chowk, Dilaram Chowk, Pacific Mall, Railway Station, Ballupur Chowk, Rispana bridge and Prince Chowk.