Two child marriages were recently prevented in Murbad taluka due to the vigilance of the district administration. Against this backdrop, the district administration has now activated a large mechanism to prevent child marriages. As part of this effort, special training is being provided to more than 2,500 Anganwadi workers across the district, and local police patils, gram sevaks, ASHA workers, local teachers, and key community members are also being involved in the campaign. The district administration has implemented a large chain of measures to prevent child marriage, promptly record information received about it, and take preventive action by planning all aspects in a coherent manner.
Cases of child marriage have come to light in the last few months in Murbad, Shahapur and Bhiwandi areas of Thane district. Although the vigilance of the District Child Protection Department and the NGOs supporting the administration has helped prevent several child marriages, the administration has launched a large-scale campaign to stop such incidents completely.
This training provides detailed guidance on the 'Child Marriage Prevention Act', its provisions, legal procedures to stop child marriage, emergency intervention plans, and how to coordinate with relevant departments. Since Anganwadi workers and other village level officers are the first point of contact for information at the local level, special emphasis is being placed on making them aware and efficient.
A separate system is being set up in each village to continuously monitor the age of girls, their education, reasons for dropping out of school, socio-economic conditions, and any marriage-related activities. The process of collecting information from students and teachers in schools is underway, and special visits are being made to areas where girls face the risk of early marriage due to educational or financial difficulties. An important part of this campaign is also the initiative of visiting the homes of minor girls in remote areas and interacting directly with their parents, understanding the difficulties in education, and explaining the consequences of early marriage.
It is mandatory to immediately send any information regarding child marriage to the District Child Protection Department. After receiving such information, a joint team of the Child Protection Committee, Police, Women and Child Welfare Department, and, if necessary, Childline, is dispatched to the scene. The relevant team is responsible for stopping child marriage, moving the girl to a safe place if necessary, educating the parents, and providing further monitoring.
"Preventing child marriage is not just a legal procedure, it is a social responsibility. Every citizen must come forward to prioritise girls’ education and secure their future. Anyone who becomes aware of a planned child marriage should immediately contact 1098 to report it," said Ramakrishna Reddy, Child Protection Officer, Thane
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