Lokmat News Network
Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: The Women and Child Development Department and district administration will jointly implement special measures to prevent child marriages on Akshaya Tritiya, which falls on April 19.
With a large number of weddings traditionally taking place on this day, the administration has gone on alert. The District Collector has directed police, gram panchayats, anganwadi workers, teachers and social workers to remain vigilant and ensure effective enforcement of the Child Marriage Prevention Act. Orders have been issued to monitor suspicious marriages and take immediate action.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime Branch) Ratnakar Navale has written to the Women and Child Development Department directing them to act accordingly. The department is also running an awareness campaign in villages, informing citizens about the harmful effects and legal consequences of child marriage, and urging them to cooperate with the administration in curbing such practices.
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Since April 2025, the Women and Child Development Department has prevented 55 child marriages. The government has issued a circular specifically targeting child marriages on Akshaya Tritiya, and micro-level planning is underway accordingly.
(Mahadev Dongre, District Child Protection Officer)