Tahsildars and executive officers should take active part in preventing child marriages: KCPCR chairman

MANGALURU

The tahsildar and executive officer of Taluk Panchayats should take active part and work in coordination with officers from other departments in preventing child marriages, said Chairman of Karnataka State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (KCPCR) K. Naganna Gowda here on Thursday, January 5.

During the review of POSCO, Juvenile Justice and Right to Education Acts here, Mr. Gowda said Tahsildar heads the taluk level committee for child marriage prevention, which includes Child Development Project Officer (CDPO) and officials from education, health, women and child welfare, police and other departments. Taluk Panchayat Executive Officer is the vice president of the committee.

“You both should take active part in the meetings of the committee and work in coordination with other departments in preventing child marriages,” Mr. Gowda said and added that child marriage prevention is not the sole responsibility of CDPO and police. He said the committee should meet at least once in three months.

Finding no cases of child marriages in Dakshina Kannada, Mr. Gowda said child marriages, will not come to notice easily. “There are chances of persons from Madikeri doing the marriage in Mangaluru, while those from Mangaluru can do it in other parts of the state,” he said and asked officials to keep close watch on activities, more so, in places of worship that are not frequently visited by people. Notices should be served on those facilitating child marriages and stern action should be taken. He asked Block Education Officers and Head Masters to keep close watch on their wards and prevent child marriages.

When attention was drawn to absence of members in the KCPCR and also in District Child Welfare Committees, Mr. Gowda orders appointing new members to the KCPCR will be shortly announced. A retired High Court Judge was going through applications of aspirants for the post of District CWC members and these names too will be shortly announced, he said.

Later talking to reporters, Mr. Gowda said steps are being taken to strengthen the village level, taluk level and district level committees for protection of child rights.