Lakhimpur, April 20: The Assam Centre for Rural Development marked Akshaya Tritiya by observing Vigilance Day on April 19 in Lakhimpur district, reinforcing efforts to curb child marriage through coordinated awareness and monitoring initiatives.
The campaign was supported by Child Marriage Prohibition Officers and ASHA workers, who pledged to intensify preventive action across the district. The organisation has been working closely with the district administration, panchayats, schools and religious leaders to conduct sustained outreach programmes in villages and educational institutions, aiming to eliminate the practice.
As part of its ongoing efforts, the NGO has administered anti-child marriage pledges to thousands of residents and undertaken targeted drives during periods considered vulnerable, including Akshaya Tritiya and peak wedding seasons across communities. It is also a partner of Just Rights for Children, a nationwide coalition of over 250 organisations working on child protection.
Director Prerna Changkakati stated that child marriage remains a serious offence and cannot be justified under religious or cultural pretexts. She noted a significant decline in such cases on Akshaya Tritiya in recent years, attributing the change to increased vigilance by authorities and civil society, while stressing the need for complete eradication.
She further highlighted that awareness regarding the legal consequences under the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006 has improved considerably. The law prescribes penalties including imprisonment of up to two years, fines, or both for those involved in facilitating child marriages, extending liability beyond families to service providers such as caterers, decorators and officiants.
Officials and activists reported a shift in public response, with more residents now reporting incidents, enabling prompt intervention by authorities. The district is expected to make further progress towards eliminating child marriage ahead of national targets.
At the national level, Just Rights for Children and its partner organisations are running campaigns across more than 450 districts with high prevalence of child marriage, having reportedly prevented over five lakh such cases to date.
