Wiping car windscreens at traffic lights for a living, these children need attention

Children begging under the pretext of cleaning windscreen of vehicles at various traffic signals is a common sight. When the vehicles wait for the light to turn green, these children rush towards the cars of commuters.

Groups of five to six children, carrying water bottles and small wipers, can be spotted at almost all busy traffic intersections. After cleaning the windscreen, these children ask for alms from the drivers.

Child begging is a big challenge for society as well as the government. It needs to end. I promise that I will handle the government’s part and see what can be done. In order to put an end to this practice, we would need help from civil society and NGOs. Jeevan Jyot Kaur, MLA

While the administration has failed to take notice of the nuisance, the residents seek concerted efforts to stop these small children for risking their lives. The residents stated that it should be probed who their parents are and why they are asking their children to beg.

“If someone is genuinely needy and does not have anyone to care for, then it is the duty of the administration and civil society to ensure their dignified rehabilitation,” said Joginder Singh, a local.

Asking for alms on the pretext of washing windscreens is a new form of begging which has been noticed in the city after the Covid-19 pandemic. Earlier, small children would ask people to buy pens, balloons or some other toys at traffic intersections.

The drivers complained that some of these children are so young that their hands cannot reach the windscreen of large vehicles. Most of the time, these children try to climb atop the pedestals on the side to reach the windscreens.

The residents stated that it is a risky practice and should not be allowed. “What if a vehicle accidentally runs over a child or he falls and gets injured,” said Watandeep Singh, another resident. He added that even if drivers signal these children to stop, they seldom care.

Residents suggested that these children need to be identified and their parents asked to stop such activity. If such children have no one to take care of them or are forced to beg due to some reasons, it is the duty of the state government to provide shelter and education to these children, they suggested.

When contacted, District Child Protection Officer Taranjit Singh Bajwa said that they conducted inspections at various places as a matter of routine. Asked specifically about child beggars on Mall road, Bajwa said that a drive would be initiated in the coming days to identify the children and their parents. He said the safety and dignity of these children would be ensured.