Hand over abandoned infants to government, warns official

Lokmat News Network

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar

Every child has the right to live. If a birth parent cannot care for the child, the responsibility lies with the government. Deputy commissioner of Women and Child Development Krishna Rathod, urged parents to hand over such infants to the authorities for legal adoption and rehabilitation. Leaving children abandoned on streets will invite criminal action.

The closing ceremony of the International Adoption Awareness Month campaign took place on Friday at the ‘Sakar’ organization in Jyotinagar, with Rathod guiding the proceedings. Laws exist to facilitate legal adoption, including a mandatory two-year waiting period. Authorities warned against illegal adoption attempts. District Women and Child Development Officer M.N. Darade, noted that over the past year, ‘Sakar’ facilitated adoption of 15 children, including four placed abroad. Dr Rajgopal Totla encouraged adoption over expensive IVF treatments. District Child Protection Officers Mahadev Dongre and Archana Meshram advised raising public awareness to eliminate misconceptions about adoption. The event was chaired by Suhas Vaidya and conducted by Ragini Kothekar, with participation from Sakar staff and district child protection officials. The Mayor of Cherryfield, New Jersey, US Srikanth Dhopte, of Indian origin, was moved by the organization’s efforts. Over 31 years, ‘Sakar’ has helped 431 children find homes, both in India and abroad.