MADURAI: The Madurai Bench of Madras High Court recently recommended that the State government appoint one department — either the Department of Differently-Abled or the Social Welfare Department — to strictly implement the Tamil Nadu Prevention of Begging Act and the Beggars Rehabilitation Scheme. The Bench also observed that the State must ensure all its citizens live with dignity.
Justice B Pugalendhi made the suggestion while hearing a bail petition filed by a man, R Pandi, who was arrested by the Tiruchy police for allegedly kidnapping a three-year-old girl child and making her beg.
As per the Tamil Nadu Prevention of Begging Act, 1945, begging is an offence and whoever is found begging can be punished with six months jail term.
The government is also spending huge public money under various schemes to ensure that needy people get food, the judge noted. “However, even now, several people are wandering on the streets, indulging in begging, especially with children,” he pointed out.
Though the State government launched Beggars Rehabilitation Scheme, established six special homes and is spending `1.5 lakh of public money every month for the caretakers of those homes, the said homes are dilapidated and not in usable condition, the judge further added.
During the hearing, the judge was informed that the Government Care Camp in Melpakkam, built in 1954 to rehabilitate beggars who are convicted under the Act, has been under the control of different departments over the years. “It is in a dilapidated state now and is not suitable to accommodate any inmates,” the Director for Welfare of the Differently Abled, who is presently in charge of the camp, told the court.
Hearing the same, Justice Pugalendhi observed, “Right to life and to live with dignity as guaranteed under the Constitution. Therefore, it is the duty of the State to ensure that all its citizens live with dignity in the State.” Stating that the poor implementation of the scheme and the lack of maintenance of the camp may have been because no separate or particular department has been allotted for it, he made the above recommendation. Meanwhile, he granted default bail to the petitioner Pandi by imposing certain conditions.