COIMBATORE: The social welfare department in Coimbatore district plans to train youths, especially college students, in rural areas and appoint them as informers to monitor child marriages. A total of 37 child marriages was prevented in the district since January 2024 till February 2025. Of this, 12 marriages were stopped this year.
Officials said in most cases, child marriages come to their notice only when the victims are admitted to hospitals for pregnancy.
To address this issue, officials have planned to strengthen early intervention measures. Students are being roped in to be part of this network.
In 2024, 97 child marriages happened in the district. Through collaborative efforts, social welfare department and police prevented 37 marriages. Since January 2025, 17 child marriage cases were reported of which 12 were stopped.
Periyanaickenpalayam and Karamadai in Coimbatore North reported double-digit cases in 2024. This year, Pollachi South block has reported five cases, according to officials.
SWD officials say the situation is not alarming and that they are recruiting grassroots-level volunteers in each village to prevent child marriages. The volunteers will educate the community about the consequences of child marriage and legal issues and report child marriage arrangements, if any, to authorities.
“Native residents are aware of the legal consequences of child marriage, thanks to effective awareness campaigns and legal actions. However, migrant people who may not be aware of laws continue to support child marriages. Recently, we identified two cases involving migrants,” said an official.
“We already have panchayat-level committees. However, each panchayat covers several villages and hamlets. Appointing volunteers like college students in each village and hamlet from the local community is the only effective way to tackle the problem.
The volunteers can educate people and inform the authorities of any child marriages. Once the child marriage is identified, the victim (minor girl) would be sent for rehabilitation and groom would face legal case under the POCSO Act,” said R Ambika, District Social Welfare Officer.