‘Train cops to curb child marriage’

BHUBANESWAR:  Law experts have recommended for training of police and nodal officers to sensitise the communities and ensure proper implementation of laws at the ground-level to check child marriages. Speaking at a national consultative conclave on ‘Ending Child Marriage in India: Moving from Law to Justice’ organised at SOA University here, former Chief Justice of Manipur High Court Laxmikanta Mohapatra said the Government as well as social organisations have to play critical roles to stop the ignoble practice.

“Poverty, illiteracy and blind belief are the root causes behind child marriages and there is a need for spread of awareness to combat the evil,” he opined.The programme was jointly organised by the SOA National School of Law (SNSL) and Peoples’ Cultural Centre, an advocacy oriented socio-cultural organisation.Even as the incidents of child marriage have come down in Odisha, as per the National Family Health Survey-IV, the State ranks 13th along with Chhattisgarh with 21.3 per cent child marriages. Eight of its 30 districts are above the national average of 26.8 pc.

As per the statistics, 27 out of 100 marriages solemnised in the country involved children while the figure is 21 for Odisha. The cases of child marriages are high in Malkangiri, Nabarangpur, Koraput, Rayagada, Ganjam, Nayagarh, Gajapati and Mayurbhanj districts.“The practice has now started picking up in some coastal districts which is a matter of concern. Poverty and lack of awareness are forcing people to go for child marriages despite stringent laws,” said Ranjan Mohanty, convenor.   

Senior lawyer of Orissa High Court Sourya Sundar Das analysed the provisions of various international conventions and national laws, including the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act and Juvenile Justice Act, besides the anti-dowry law. Dean of SNSL Prof Prabir Kumar Pattanaik said the recommendations of the conclave would be submitted to the National Human Rights Commission.