VAOs Tasked With Preventing Child Marriage in Tiruchy

The social welfare department has roped in Village Administrative Officers (VAO) in its efforts to prevent child marriages as the term of Village Level Child Protection Committees (VLCPC), which function under panchayats, have expired.

- D Vincent Arokiaraj @Tiruchy

In an effort to prevent child marriages, the government formed VLCPCs, comprising representatives from local bodies, Village Administrative Officers (VAOs), and school headmasters to safeguard children. With the tenure of rural local bodies getting over, there is currently no elected panchayat president. As a result, the only ray of hope for social welfare officials to monitor child marriages is VAOs.

With several child marriages being reported at regular intervals in specific blocks, VAOs, who are constantly in touch with people, have been asked to closely monitor developments in the neighbourhood and immediately report to authorities if they come to know about child marriage plans.