HT Digital,
Agartala, Nov 28: The escalating issue of child marriages, particularly in rural regions of Tripura, has led civil authorities to implement extensive preventive efforts to curb this societal problem.
As per the comprehensive guidelines on CHESTA (Child Marriage Elimination through Sensitization, Tracking and Awareness), issued by District Magistrate Khowai, individuals such as Pundits, Decorators, and Merchant Association members, who play key roles in executing marriage ceremonies, will be included in a special task force against child marriages.
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Moreover, the administration plans to fortify the Balika Manchas at schools, aiming to reintegrate child marriage victims into the education system. For children not attending school, tracking will be undertaken with assistance from various stakeholders. A specific WhatsApp group will be created, comprising officials from Pundit, Oshai, decorator, merchant associations, ICDS supervisors, CDPOs, BLO supervisors, and ASHA facilitators.
If any member from these groups receives information about a forthcoming child marriage, they will notify the leaders of their association or immediate superiors. All District Administration offices, including SDM offices, BDO offices, and Panchayat offices, will establish specialized cells to tackle this issue, as per the guidelines.
The guidelines also highlighted a fresh strategy to encourage school drop-out girls to return to education. Concerns were raised regarding the district’s alarmingly high rate of child marriages.
