Panels to crack whip on child marriages on Sivaratri

In an attempt to prevent child marriages during the Sivaratri festival, the district administration has constituted committees for the 11 mandals where such tradition is observed largely.

Zilla parishad chief executive officer Veerabhadraiah, who convened a special meeting here Saturday to discuss the plans to prevent child marriages during the festival, said the MROs, MPDOs, VROs in the mandals have been asked to take preventive measures to stop child marriages. He insisted that revenue officials in co-operation with the police must initiate measures to prevent child marriages during the festival.   Speaking on the occasion, Gender Director Jamuna Rani said child marriages during Sivaratri have been rampant in 11 mandals surrounding the Srikalahasti temple in Chittoor district. Those include Sullurpet, Naidupet, Tada, Pellakuru, Doravarisathram, Venkatagiri,  Balayapalle, Dakkili, Rapuru, Chittamuru and Vakadu.

The committees headed by respective tahsildars will have child protection officer and village revenue officer as members. 

As many as 165 gender cluster resource persons have been included in these panels which will have 15 CRPs each to help the officials to identify the child marriages and prevent them, she said. Society for Elimination of Rural Poverty  officer Aruna asked the teams to keep strict vigil on Changalamma temple at Sullurpet and Subrahmaneswara Swamy temple in Patragam.