MARGAO: In the wake of a recent collaborative effort aimed at curbing the issue of child begging in Margao, the South Goa District Planning and Development Authority (SGPDA) has come under scrutiny for the presence of children and other beggars in an open land owned by the SGPDA. Following this revelation, various directives have been issued to the SGPDA, demanding a compliance report.
Goa State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (GSCPCR) Chairperson Peter F Borges has addressed a letter to the SGPDA Member Secretary (MS), highlighting a matter of significant legal and ethical concern. GSCPCR has also asked the SGPDA MS to submit a compliance report on the action taken within 15 days’ time.
If you enjoyed reading this article, you can help support our journalism by adding OHeraldo as a preferred source.
“This pertains to the welfare of families, particularly children, who have been observed residing in areas under the jurisdiction of the South Goa Planning and Development Authority, in front of Osia Commercial Complex Arcade. It has come to our notice that children from these families are often engaged in begging and vending under precarious conditions,” said Borges.
“Their fundamental rights to privacy and dignity are being egregiously violated as they are forced to conduct personal activities such as bathing, cooking, and laundering in public view,” Borges added.
The Commission further expressed concern about the substandard management of open spaces during public events and fairs, leading to these migrant families living in close proximity to open drains and walls, exposing their children to hazardous living conditions and health risks.
“Despite concerted efforts by child protection systems to extricate children from street situations, the apparent lack of adequate supervision by the SGPDA has led to a continuous occupation of these spaces by these families. This situation exacerbates the vulnerability of the children involved and contravenes their rights,” said Borges.
In response to these observations, and in adherence to their mandate to uphold legal and ethical standards concerning child welfare, the GSCPCR has directed the SGPDA to take immediate and effective preventive measures.
