Southern States - Andhra Pradesh   

Girl child sold in Nalgonda dist.?

By S .Ramu

PIPANAIK (NALGONDA dist) JUNE 18. Utter poverty compounded by severe drought, has forced a tribal mother to sell off her two-month-old child in this tribal settlement under the Gattikallu gram panchayat in Atmakur (S) mandal.

Gugloth Nanu (34), a mother of five, sold her girl child three days ago to a Registered Medical Practitioner belonging to Mukuddevpally village in the same mandal. When a team of reporters visited the thanda in Tungaturthy constituency on Wednesday, she confessed to the sale and blamed it on poverty.

"As there was no other go to meet the medical expenses of the fourth girl, we had to give away the fifth kid,'' revealed Nanu. The fourth kid was reportedly, suffering from an epileptic fit and needed Rs.600 for medical treatment. Earlier, two of Nanu's daughters died of illness.

While Nanu's husband, Mangya, a labourer, informed the local Congress leaders that they sold the girl for Rs. 2,000, the mother gave different versions. She said that three women deputed by the RMP took away the girl after paying some amount and offering new clothes to the family. There seemed to be a bargain before a final rate was settled. The RMP's real intentions were not yet known.

Repenting for giving the kid to others, Nanu said: "I have to commit this act due to financial as well as health problems. We don't have a pucca house or a ration card. How can we live?''

According to villagers, despite appeals at two gram sabhas during the Janmabhoomi, officials did not sanction a ration card to the family. "First, the Health Department failed to educate the family about the need of family planning. Then the Revenue Department denied a ration card. How can such poor families survive?'' asked the former Minister, R. Damodar Reddy of the Congress. He gave Rs.500 to Nanu to meet immediate expenses.

Later speaking to The Hindu, he said: "The Government recently conducted a micro survey in villages. It did not figure out this family, which is reeling under drought.''

However, the Suryapet CI, Yadaiah, confirmed the sale but with a rider. "This seems to be an adoption-like thing but not a sale to outsiders. Anyhow, we are on the job of tracing the RMP.'' The police, who came to know about the incident only on Wednesday morning, did not file any case.

When reporters sought to know whether she was ready to bring up the child if she was given back to her, Nanu gave an affirmative reply.

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