RAJAMAHENDRAVARAM: The women and child welfare department curbed as many as 436 child marriages in the past four-and-a-half years in the erstwhile East Godavari district. According to the estimates, as many as 57 child marriages were averted alone in the district in the last five months.
Child marriage is a major concern in the district. Kovvur, Korukonda, Katrenikona, Peddapuram, Pedapudi, Sankhavaram, Kothapet, Atreyapuram and other mandals in the erstwhile East Godavari have reported a good number of child marriages over the years.According to the district women and child officer, G Satyavani, an increase in vigilance through their own sources and instant follow-up on the complaints helped in curbing child marriages.
“Child marriage causes disruption in the life of a girl, while compromising on her health and education,” she said. In Arikirevula village in Kovvur mandal, parents performed the marriage of their daughter at the age of 14 years, three years ago. The girl was allegedly harassed by her husband. Her parents took her back home. The family has been finding it difficult to make ends meet while enduring poverty.
Recently, police and the child welfare department officials successfully foiled a child marriage in the same village. “We have counselled the parents. The poor child was unaware of what she is being forced into. Fortunately, the government agencies rescued the girl before the marriage was performed,’’ district Child Protection Committee officer Ch Venkat Rao told TNIE.
He said with the cooperation of police, the women and child welfare department, and other agencies, they were able to avert child marriages in the district. “Nowadays, volunteers are quickly giving information to us and we were able to act in time,’’ he said, and added that complaints were being received from the public on the Childline 1098 and helpline number 181.
According to the Prohibition of Child Marriages Act 2006, those involved in a child marriage would be jailed up to two years and would be fined up to Rs 1 lakh. “However, the fact is that child marriages continue to be performed in one part of the district or the other,’’ an official added.
Apart from illiteracy and economic reasons, parents who conduct child marriages state that they are opting for the nuptial knot for their children at a tender age so as to prevent them from crossing the boundaries of caste, the official said.
“Besides economic reasons, caste also plays a key role in the increasing number of child marriages in the State. Some parents get their offsprings married at a young age to prevent them from falling for people from other castes. Parents believe that child marriages help their children keep a safe distance from inter-caste marriages,’’ Swapna, a social activist, elaborated.