The scourge of child marriages continues to persist in Mysuru district where as many as 200 such marriages were reported from April to November this year.
This came to the fore at the review meeting of the Department of Child and Family Welfare and discussion on the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2005.
Deputy Commissioner Abhiram G. Sankar, who chaired the meeting, said child marriages continue to be performed despite law prohibiting the same and it was imperative to take more public awareness measures to prevent them. It was suggested that a general awareness on the negative fallout of early marriages be created among students during their daily assembly in schools apart from imparting a pledge to oppose it.
He said in the event a student was said to be engaged for marriage the onus should be on the principal of the institution to intervene and counsel the the parents and the child, besides taking measures to file an FIR with the police.
Counselling
The personnel from the Department of Women and Child Welfare said complaints of 200 child marriages were registered during the period from April to November, of which 79 were resolved through counselling and more than 100 were pending before the authorities.
The authorities have introduced Sakhi, a one-stop centre, at the Chaluvamba Hospital in the city.
