Nawanshahr- As per the guidelines issued by the Department of Social Security and Women and Child Development Punjab and the Punjab State Child Rights Protection Commission and as per the instructions issued by Deputy Commissioner Ankurjit Singh, a cradle has been established in the district for the protection of unwanted children under the Juvenile Justice Act.
Giving this information, District Program Officer Jagroop Singh said that in order to surrender the children under Section 35 of the Juvenile Justice Care and Protection of Children Act 2015 by the Punjab State Child Rights Protection Commission, parents can leave their child in the cradle built outside the Sakhi One Stop Center located at the Civil Hospital under the district or they can present themselves at the Child Welfare Committee office and hand over the child to the Child Welfare Committee through a surrender deed. He said that no information about the parents or any family member leaving the child in the cradle will be made public.
District Child Protection Officer Kanchan Arora said that many times we hear and read about incidents of newborn babies being thrown into drains, bushes and vacant plots. This is often done by parents who have unwanted children or are unable to raise them. He said that many times during the investigation by the police, after identifying the parents of such children, it comes to light that they reject their unwanted child due to financial compulsion.
He further said that if any parent does not want to leave their child in the cradle, then they can surrender their child at the Child Welfare Committee office. The Child Welfare Committee gives the parents two months to reconsider the decision to surrender the child. If the parents change their decision, then they can take their child back, otherwise their child is handed over to the Specialized Adoption Agency for adoption.
He appealed to the general public that instead of leaving their unwanted children anywhere, they should keep their children in the cradle set up at the Sakhi One Stop Center office so that the government can ensure the safety of that child. For more information in this regard, the office of the District Child Protection Officer, Room No. 416, 3rd Floor, DC Office, Phone No. 01822 -222322.