The Hindu 28.05.2013
Corporation asked to explain conditions at relief centre
High Court summons civic body Secretary.
A Division Bench of the Kerala High Court on Monday
directed the Kochi Corporation Secretary to appear before the court on
June 4 to explain the condition of the Palluruthy relief settlement
centre.
The bench comprising Chief Justice Manjula
Chellur and Justice K. Vinod Chandran issued the directive on a petition
filed by P.J. Peter seeking directives to the corporation to prevent
begging, particularly child begging, in the corporation area where
soliciting alms has been banned.
The court observed
that in spite of the matter pending before the court, the counsel for
the corporation had not appeared before the court.
The
petitioner pointed out that children were seen begging on streets
despite the fact that it had been banned. There was a mafia involved in
running the begging network. The petitioner also said that the condition
of the children sent to the relief settlement was very pathetic. There
were many shortcomings in the running of the settlement centre. It
lacked man power and medical facilities. The children rescued from the
streets were often forced to stay with persons with various ailments
such as mental disabilities. This posed a threat to the future of the
children.
The petitioner said the corporation was also dumping waste such as broken tar bins, posing a health hazard to the inmates.
The petitioner sought a directive to take urgent steps to create facilities for the rescue and rehabilitation of child beggars.
