Puttaparthi: Parents coming forward voluntarily to prevent child marriages is a positive and encouraging step, said District Collector A Shyam Prasad on Monday, lauding families who pledged not to marry off their minor daughters.

At a programme held in the PGRS Meeting Hall of the Puttaparthi Collectorate, parents submitted written bonds (agreements) declaring that they would not conduct child marriages and would actively support their daughters’ education, aspirations and future development.

The initiative was taken under the theme “Memu Saitam” (We Too), reflecting parental commitment towards eliminating child marriages.

Addressing the gathering, the Collector stated that child marriage is not only a punishable offence under law but also a practice that severely damages the future, health and dignity of girls.

He instructed officials to intensify awareness programmes in schools, junior colleges and degree colleges as part of the “Child Marriage Free India 100 Days Programme.” Shyam Prasad appreciated the parents who formally submitted bonds and urged the community to take collective responsibility in making Sri Sathya Sai district a child-marriage-free district. He stressed that meaningful social change is possible only when parents, communities and government agencies work together.

Joint Collector M Maurya Bharadwaj, DRVO Suryanarayana Reddy, RDO Suvarna, ICDS Project Director Prameela, District Medical and Health Officer Firoz Begum, DPO Samatha, DCPO Mahesh, Protection Officers Nagalakshmi and Muralidhar, Counsellor Shivalatha, along with parents and district officials, participated in the programme.