Govt unable to rein in child marriages among adivasis

Kochi: At a time when there has been an increase in the number of child marriages in adivasi settlements of Kuttampuzha Panchayat; the government has turned a blind eye and has not taken the measures requested by the Social Welfare Department to uproot this social evil.  

Underlining the fact that child marriage is still prevalent in adivasi settlements, yet another child marriage which was about to take place was prevented by the Social Welfare Department two days ago at Uriyampatty adivasi settlement.  

With this the total number of child marriages prevented by the department has gone upto nine so far this year and the worrying fact is that the government has not taken any steps to eradicate this social evil among them.  

The number of child marriages prevented by the Department was just one in 2012 and 2013. In 2014, it rose to 12.

In the wake of the increasing child marriages, the department had requested a vehicle and funds to organize awareness camps to make adivasis aware of the ill-effects of child marriage.

But the government has not responded. In fact, it was by paying money from their own pockets that child marriages were prevented by department officials.

“Lack of awareness among them is the key reason for increasing child marriages,” said an official.  

The adivasi settlements like Uriyampatty, Varaiyam, Punchipara, Palavechapara, Kallelikode etc are over 15 kilometers deep in the forest and have no proper road or transportation facilities. Jeep drivers charge '3500 to go to the settlements.  

When contacted VN Jithendran, Director of the Social Justice Department, said, “I have not been informed about this issue so far. Had I been informed I would have sanctioned a fund for awareness camps and other measures to eradicate this social evil. Let me look into the matter.”