New Delhi, Sept 26: The Delhi High Court has directed the city government to take effective steps to prevent begging and hawking at traffic intersections in the capital saying it not only violated traffic laws but also presented "ugly face" of the city. Since it was a social problem, the government has "the moral and legal obligation" to rehabilitate the beggars and their children, a bench comprising Chief Justice S B Sinha and Justice A K Sikri said while disposing off a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) highlighting the issue.
The court directed the Delhi government to prepare a rehabilitation scheme for beggars within four months and file an action taken report within six months.
The PIL by society for awareness and development had sought a direction to the Delhi government to prevent begging and hawking at the traffic signals and implementation of various welfare schemes for poor children who were forced in to begging by mafias involved in the business.

Expressing dissatisfaction over the "inadequate" steps taken by the state government in this regard and "sincerity" shown in containing the problem, the court said the concerned authorities, especially the police should launch a special drive to achieve this objective.
The commissioner of police, while launching such a drive against the begging mafias, should take into consideration the sensitiveness of the issue and take the help of NGOs working for welfare of children and the social welfare department of the state government, the court said. Bureau Report