Call for community campaigns to prevent child marriagesCollector emphasises role of police and village associations in ensuring marriage registration and raising awareness

District Collector AS Dinesh Kumar emphasized the need for a collective effort to eradicate child marriages in the district, citing alarming numbers of teenage pregnancies and child marriages, particularly among PVTG communities and school dropouts.
During a District Level Child Marriage Committee meeting on Friday, Collector Kumar expressed concern over the issue. “We have identified 357 teenage pregnancies and 174 other minor pregnancies in the past two years, despite preventing 25 child marriages,” he said. “It’s crucial that we work together to address this critical issue.”
To tackle the problem effectively, Collector Kumar instructed officials to conduct village-level meetings to identify the root causes and challenges contributing to child marriages. He also issued a stern warning, emphasizing that both the state government and the Supreme Court have implemented stringent measures against child marriages. “I urge authorities, including ICDS, to take these matters seriously,” Collector Kumar said. “Show-cause notices will be issued to committee members if child marriages occur in their respective villages.”
To raise awareness and prevent child marriages, Collector Kumar suggested community campaigns and active involvement of law enforcement agencies. He highlighted the importance of registering all marriages within the village and ensuring that village associations pass resolutions against child marriages. The Collector also directed special attention towards school dropouts, particularly in grades 8 and 9. A pilot training program will be launched in GK Veedhi Mandal, a region with a high dropout rate, starting on January 3.
To monitor progress, the Collector mandated monthly reports on child marriages from every secretariat. Women police officers will be responsible for data collection. Additionally, hostel students will be closely monitored, and special squad teams will be formed to oversee these initiatives. The meeting was attended by key officials, including DRO Padmalatha, DEO Brahmaji Rao, DMHO Dr. Jamal Basha, DSDO Dr. Rohini, and Police Inspector Deenabandhu, among others.