A novel way to curb child marriage

School girls in Tirunelveli can now alert the district administration about child marriages, thanks to the distribution of postcards to over 1,29,786 girl students in 333 high and higher secondary schools in the district. The district collector’s  address is printed on the post cards so that it becomes easy for the girls to inform the administration regarding child marriages. This scheme is taken up by the district social welfare department under Beti Bachao Beti Padhao scheme. It also acts on the complaints of child marriage lodged through the post cards. Around 329 child marriages were stopped in the district since 2008. In all, 5,284 child marriages have been prevented in Tamil Nadu during the period. The postcard scheme will further give a thrust to the abolition of child marriages. The scheme was inaugurated by Tirunelveli district collector Sandeep Nanduri scheme at Sri Gandhimathi Ambal girls higher secondary school at Palayamkottai on August 8. Various steps have been chartered out by the state government to protect girl children like cradle baby scheme, girl children protection scheme and child marriage prevention project, said the district collector. Yet child marriages took place intermittently and were reported. The state has been taking measures to stop child marriages including the passing of the The Prohibition of Child Marriages Act 2006 which was passed to mete out stringent punishment for those involved in it. For the effective implementation of the Act, district social welfare officers have been appointed as child marriages prevention officers.