The Hindu : Dressing down on child marriages nets results

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Mar 31, 2002

Southern States

Southern States - Andhra Pradesh

Dressing down on child marriages nets results

By Our Staff Reporter

KARIMNAGAR MARCH 30. She was all of 14 years old. Her innocent countenance notwithstanding, Swathi, an eighth class student, is getting ready for her marriage on April 6 in her village of Uppal in Kamalapur mandal, about 60 km from the district headquarters.

Well, Swathi's is not one isolated case of child marriage in the village. There are five more brides, all in their teens, waiting to tie the knot. They may not know the very meaning of marriage but are bracing for the wedding. The village, though well developed, boasting two Government high schools, a primary health centre and railway station, is notorious for a different reason. The child marriage menace is rampant, especially during summer, in Uppal.

But thanks to an awareness meeting and some tough talking on child marriages held at the village on Saturday, parents of the girls decided not perform the marriage. Responding to an e-mail message about the marriage of Swathi, the Collector, Sumita Dawra, the Huzurabad MLA, E. Peddi Reddy, the DRDA Project Director, Sashibushan Kumar, and other officials rushed to the village and organised the meeting to educate the parents. Sampath Rao, father of Swathi, said that he decided to perform the marriage of his daughter and keep his son-in-law in his house as he was unable to work in fields. Betraying innocence, Swathi with a kankanam on her right hand was all shy when asked as to what marriage means to her.

When the Collector queried the bridegroom, Krishna (22), about the marriage, all he could say was: "I have decided to marry as I have no financial support to sustain." But when the Collector warned that child marriage was a crime and parents of both parties and relatives would be sent to jail if they went ahead with the marriage, the parents decided not to perform the wedding.

The Collector and the MLA stressed the need for providing education to the children.

The girls who were rescued from the marriage trap are -- Sravanti (13), Rani (14), Bhagyalaxmi (14), Prabhavathi (14) and Swapna (14). Parents of these children said: "We did not know that child marriage is a crime. Now that the authorities have enlightened us, we have decided to perform the marriage only after the girls attain the age of 18 years.''

Later, the sarpanch, R. Mondaiah, at a meeting passed a resolution urging the villagers to stop performing child marriages.

Mr. Sashibushan Kumar sanctioned a piggery unit to Raja Sammaiah, father of Sravanti, when Sammaiah said he was unemployed. Mr. Kumar also sanctioned a kirana shop to another person.

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