BHUBANESWAR: The Women and Child Welfare department has directed the district child protection officers (DCPOs) to take all possible measures to prevent child marriages which the authorities fear would take place on the occasion of Akshya Trutiya on May 14.
The occasion is considered an auspicious day in the Hindu calendar and a large number of children are usually married off on this day in rural parts of the State. The DCPOs have been asked to organise village level meetings to create awareness among people against the social evil from May 1 to May 15.