Dr V Jaya Chandra Bhanu Reddy, Krishagiri's District Collector, recently announced that there will be a child marriage awareness programme the 18th of this month and that it will "kickstart in schools from next week." Around 61 child marriages have been stopped in the district since January 2021, apart from which 1 case has been registered under the Prevention of Child Marriage Act and 13 cases have been registered under the POCSO Act.
The Collector asked the teachers to monitor the girls of Classes IX to XII and inform the authorities if they are absent for three consecutive days. He further asked the staff of the Integrated Child Development Services to immediately inform the district administration of cases of teenage pregnancy in their concerned villages. District Social Welfare Department staff, CHILDLINE, District Child Protection Unit, the local police, revenue department officials and education department should conduct awareness sessions about child marriage in each village and officials must monitor and prevent child marriage cases, said Dr Reddy.
An education department official added, a notice will be distributed to parents and the same will be sent to school students from Classes IX to XII across the district. Further, the District Social Welfare Department will provide necessary guidance to prevent child marriages. ADSP V Raju, Crime Against Women and Children Wing said, "We are already conducting an awareness programme across the district and this time, more awareness will be spread to interior and tribal villages."
