Balurghat, Sept. 27 -- An alarming surge in cases of missing minors, child marriages and early pregnancies across South Dinajpur district has spurred the administration to implement strict preventative measures.

In response to the growing crisis, the district administration organised a special awareness workshop on Saturday at Baluchhaya, adjacent to the Balurghat District Administrative Building. The workshop aimed to address the rising number of POCSO cases filed across the district's nine police stations and educate female students about the hazards of underage marriage.

Officials have highlighted alarming statistics, noting that out of approximately 5,000 minor marriages reported in the district last year, nearly 2,000 resulted in underage pregnancies, with child marriages accounting for 26 percent of all weddings in the area. Balurghat District Hospital currently admits three to four pregnant minors each month, contributing to an average of 18 to 19 minor pregnancy and harassment cases registered monthly across the district.

Administrative efforts to combat this trend have faced hurdles as the South Dinajpur Child Welfare Committee has remained non-functional for nearly a year. To bridge this gap, the administration has issued strict directives to police officers to not only register legal cases upon receiving reports of child marriages but also initiate direct prosecution against parents, priests, and imams involved in facilitating them.

"The government has taken strict measures to stop child marriage and teenage pregnancy. Everyone must work together to ensure that incidents of child marriage and underage pregnancy do not happen in this district anymore," said Balurghat MLA Bidyut Kumar Roy.

"The first duty of female students is to focus on their studies. After completing your education and standing on your own feet, you should choose your path. Everyone needs to remain alert regarding child marriage," said Sub-Divisional Officer (Sadar) Dipannita Patra while addressing the students on stage.

Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.