Uyyala Project to protect abandoned infants

Around 500 cradles will be arranged at public places across the State, says official

Women Development and Child Welfare Department Director Krithika Shukla launching the Uyyala Project at Eluru.

In an attempt to protect the abandoned infants, the Women Development and Child Welfare (WD&CW) Department has launched a novel project ‘cradle bell’ (Uyyala Project) in the State.

As pat of the initiative, the government will arrange around 500 cradles. As many as 93 cradles, the highest in the State, will be arranged in Nellore district, followed by 68 in East Godavari, 54 in Kurnool and 50 in West Godavari district.

“The project aims at protecting the infants abandoned by their mothers in places such as canals and dustbins and checking the sale of babies and unauthorised adoptions. We request the mothers, who do not want their babies, to leave them in the cradles so that the infants could be adopted later,” said WD&CW Director Krithika Shukla.

She said the project was being implemented at an estimated expenditure of ₹30 lakh by the WD&CW, District Child Protection Units (DCPUs) and Integrated Child Protection Scheme (ICPS) in each district.

Death of babies

“It is a pity that some women and unwed mothers are abandoning their infants near canals, dustbins, bushes and other such places. Many infants get attacked by dogs or die after being exposed to the vagaries of nature. We request the women to place the infants in cradles and ring the bell,” Ms. Krithika appealed. Cradles will be placed at temples, bus and railway stations, government hospitals, some NGO homes, WD&CW project offices, some maternity hospitals and other public places. The WD&CW Department has planned to arrange 45 cradles in Chittoor, 40 in Ananthapur, 35 each in Visakhapatnam and Prakasam, 30 in Kadapa, 15 in Srikakulam, 14 in Vizianagaram and 10 cradles in Krishna district, the Director said.

“We have already arranged some cradles at the Women and Child Welfare office in East and West Godavari, Nellore and other districts. Instructions have been issued to complete the project by the end of this month,” the Director told The Hindu on Tuesday. “People who don’t want their newborns can surrender them at the cradles or alert officials by dialling ‘181’, ‘100’ or ‘1098’. Details of the parents will be kept confidential,” Ms. Krithika said.

West Godavari District Child Protection Officer (DCPO) Ch. Surya Chakraveni said that wall posters had been put up at all public places at Eluru, Tadepalligudem, Tanuku, Bhimavaram, Jangareddygudem, Narsapuram and other places on the ‘Uyyala Project’.