Warangal: Call to focus on illegal adoptions

Warangal: Notwithstanding the strict guidelines preventing illegal adoptions, the malady is rampant and it needs to be curbed, District Legal Services Authority (DLSA) Secretary G Maheshnath said. He was speaking at a seminar on Adoption Regulations organised by Warangal Rural District Child Protection Unit (DCPU) here on Wednesday.

He said that legal adoptions safeguard the rights of children. "Lack of awareness on legal adoption methods among the people has become a boon for the agents to exploit parents, and these children are subjected to trafficking and other exploitations," he said, emphasising the need for organising awareness programmes on legal adoption procedures. The personnel working with the line departments need to inform to the district authorities if they come across any case of illegal adoptions, he said.

East Zone Deputy Commissioner of Police Nagaraju, who also stressed the need for sensitising the people about adoptions, said that details of those informing about the illegal adoptions and gender determination tests will be kept secret. He said that they have plans to adopt a village to make it problem-free zone for the children.

Child Welfare Committee (CWC) Chairperson Mandala Parashuramulu expressed concern over the female infanticide and girl child selling and called for corrective measures to protect the child rights.

District Welfare Officer K Chinnaiah said that the onus is on every citizen to protect the rights of children. He told the Anganwadi teachers to report to the authorities if they find any instance in which child rights are violated. "There needs to be coordination between all the line departments to protect the rights of children," Chinnaiah said. DM&HO Ch Madhusudan said that female infanticide is one of the major problems in the society.

DCPO G Mahender Reddy gave an account of illegal adoptions, awareness programmes conducted in the district through power point presentation. He administered pledge to the attendees on the occasion for the protection of child rights and eradication of female infanticides.

District Registrar R Tulasi, Narsampet and Wardhannapet area hospitals Superintendents Dr P Gopal and Dr B Narasimha Swamy were among others present. Later, the DLSA Secretary released posters campaigning legal adoptions.