Adopting babies the AP way – from a cradle

Vijayawada: The State of Andhra Pradesh is coming up with a novel scheme to provide cradle at select public points for children (abandoned one that is) to check their being abandoned in unkind ways.

The cradles will be placed at bus stands, railway stations and government hospitsls.

The plan is initiated by officials of the Women Development and Child Welfare (WD&CW). It came to the notice of the government that such cases were increasing in Krishna district, where the cradles would allow people to safely deposit babies in them. Then they could be handed over to interested couples. The officials concerned recall that the cradle-bell system had been in vogue for hundreds of years in orphanages and churches.

“It is very pathetic that abandoned infants are mauled by dogs and eaten by ants in dustbins in some cases. The cradle-bell system will help to stop such brutal incidents,” an officer is quoted as saying.

According to K. Krishna Kumari, WD&CW Krishna district Project Director, the cradles would be kept at the Government General Hospital, the bus and railway stations.

People could keep the babies in them and alert officials by ringing the bell. “Cradles will be in cabins in secluded places. Couples who don’t want a child can place the babies in them. Their details will be kept confidential. The infants will be provided with shelter in ‘Sisu Gruha’ being run by the government,” the Project Director said.

The babies so found will be given to childless couples for adoption in accordance with the procedure of the State Adoption Resource Agency and the Central Adoption Resource Authority.