In a coordinated effort to combat child marriage and strengthen social awareness, the South Dinajpur district administration on Tuesday launched a series of programs under the banner of the “Child Marriage–Free Rath” campaign, marking the beginning of a districtwide awareness drive.
The inaugural event was held at the Collectorate premises in Balurghat, from where the awareness rath was ceremonially flagged off. The campaign then moved through key institutional locations, including the Balurghat Court Complex, the District Police Office, Balurghat Municipality, Balurghat Police Station, and concluded at the office of the Chief Medical Officer of Health.
At the Balurghat Court Complex, the rath was formally inaugurated by District Judge Manas Basu and Additional District and Sessions Judge (ADJ-II) Sharanya Sen Prasad. Senior officials present across various stages of the program included Shubhojit Mondal, Additional District Magistrate (Social Welfare); Chinmay Mital, Superintendent of Police; Kartik Chandra Mondal, Additional SP; Shahjahan Hossain, DSP; Dipannita Barman, Officer-in-Charge (Social Welfare); Niladri Majumdar, District Social Welfare Officer; and Dr.Sudip Das, Chief Medical Officer of Health.
Speakers at the events highlighted the serious social, legal, and health consequences of child marriage, emphasizing its detrimental impact on adolescent health, maternal mortality, child malnutrition, and access to education. They stressed that eliminating the practice requires a collective effort involving the administration, judiciary, law enforcement, and society at large.
A key component of the campaign was a mass signature drive. At each inauguration and outreach point, members of the public, along with administrative officials, lawyers, police personnel, and staff from various departments, voluntarily signed pledges committing themselves to oppose child marriage. The initiative aimed to send a strong message of shared responsibility and active participation across all sections of society.
According to district officials, on the first day the awareness rath covered areas under the Balurghat Municipality and Balurghat Police Station. On February 4, the campaign will extend to Hili Police Station, the Hili BSF BOP (AHTU), Hili Block, as well as Kumarganj Police Station and Block, and Patiram Police Station. On February 5, the rath is scheduled to reach Tapan Police Station and Block, Gangarampur Police Station and Block, and Kushmandi Police Station and Block.
Through this integrated initiative involving the district administration, judiciary, police, health, and social welfare departments, authorities reiterated their firm resolve to transform South Dinajpur into a child marriage–free district.
The inaugural event was held at the Collectorate premises in Balurghat, from where the awareness rath was ceremonially flagged off. The campaign then moved through key institutional locations, including the Balurghat Court Complex, the District Police Office, Balurghat Municipality, Balurghat Police Station, and concluded at the office of the Chief Medical Officer of Health.
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