S.A. Prabhakar Sharma, CEO of zilla panchayat, said on Tuesday that the number of missing children was low in Udupi district when compared to other districts in the State. He was speaking at the inaugural function of the Missing Children’s Bureau (MCB) and a workshop on Prohibition of Child Marriage Act organised by the Department of Women and Child Welfare. Mr. Sharma said that the State government had taken a positive step by starting the MCB in all districts. It was essential to take measures to check trafficking of women and children, he said.
Upendra Nayak, president of zilla panchayat, said that very few cases of child marriage took place in Udupi district. But the government departments should not become complacent because of this and should remain vigilant, he said.
Beenu Varghese, state coordinator of MCB, said that already the government had started a website called www.missingchildsearch.net. People could use this website to give information of missing children.
The website had two categories – Have you lost your child; and Have you found your child. Since details of missing children have been fed into the website, it is easier to them. Parents or guardians should report missing children within 24 hours. The sooner they report, the better would be the chance of tracing the child.
