Kozhikode: CWC forced to act after collector's intervention

KOZHIKODE: The adoption prospects of nine children have got stuck because of the non-cooperation of two child welfare committee (CWC) members in Malappuram district.

The endorsement of a minimum of three members is required to declare the children as legally fit for adoption (LFA) and only two have ratified it, including the chairman. Besides the chairman, Malappuram, has only three members in the CWC.

The reluctant two members have not attended meetings regularly, apparently disgruntled over the selection of the new chairman. The present chairman was elevated from the post of a CWC member after the removal of the then chairman Adv Shareef Ullath. The contention of the reluctant members was that each of them was fit enough to become CWC chairman. When DC contacted one of the reluctant members, he denied the non-cooperation.

The non-cooperation has long delayed adoption procedures which in the case of a few children, went upto a year. According to the JJ Act, the surrendered child’s adoption procedure should be completed within two months.

The district collector Amit Meena at the CWC review meeting held on January 12, slammed the non-child friendly treatment of the members. In the meeting, the Collector designated district child protection officer to take the required endorsement of the members considering the best interests of the child.

“Normally, CWC meetings are held at Thavanur. But to obtain the signatures of the reluctant members, we have decided to hold it at the DCPO office in Manjeri,” said an officer at the DCPO. He added that the children would soon be with their prospective adoptive parents. District CWC Chairman M. Manikantan said that measures had been put in place to sort out the matter. “The government has been apprised of the problem and would be sorted out soon,” he said.