CHILD HELPLINE INTERVENES TO STOP CHILD MARRIAGES

Raj Sadosh/Abohar.

The Child Helpline Sriganganagar received two separate reports indicating that child marriages involving three minor girls were being conducted at different locations within the jurisdictions of the Rawla and Sameja Kothi police stations.

Renu Khairwa, Assistant Director of the Department of Child Empowerment, said that acting upon the orders of the District Collector Dr. Amit Yadav—a team was dispatched to the sites where the marriages were scheduled to take place. The team comprised Pradeep Poonia (Block Social Security Officer), Harshita Midha (Tehsildar), and Shailendra Kumar (Naib Tehsildar) along with Patwaris and police.

When the team tasked with stopping the marriages arrived at the scene, preparations for the girls’ weddings were already underway at both locations. As the team requested proof that the girls had attained the legal marriageable age of 18 years, their family members presented their Class 8 and Class 10 marks sheets. It was discovered that two of the girls were under the age of 18, while one girl had indeed completed 18 years of age.

Rajiv Jakhar, Superintendent of the Government Observation and Juvenile Home, explained that under the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006, the legal minimum age for marriage is 18 years for a girl and 21 years for a boy. An official site inspection report was prepared and the signatures of the family members and relatives were obtained on it. To ensure that they do not attempt to conduct the marriages at a different location or time by shifting the venue, the Tehsildar has assigned an Anganwadi worker and a beat constable to monitor the site