the goan I network
MARGAO
“Could a mother forget a child who nurses at her breast? Could she fail to love an infant who came from her own body? Even if a mother could forget, I will never forget you.” Isiah 49:15.
This Bible quote from the book of Prophet Isiah has turned prophetic for the new-born child, who was found abandoned near the Mandopa football ground, Navelim on earlier Sunday morning.
The baby girl is hale, hearty and stable, responding well to the treatment administered at the Hospicio, after good Samaritans took the baby to the hospital on a motorcycle.
There’s further good news for the abandoned child. Four days now and the Margao police station as well as Hospicio have been flooded with queries, with good Samaritans volunteering to adopt the abandoned
girl child.
Margao police station in-charge, PI Kapil Nayak said the police has been approached by a couple of persons with queries whether they can adopt the abandoned child. “A woman approached me with a request to allow her to adopt the child. However, I had to politely make it plainly clear to her that there are certain adoption norms which needs to be complied with while adopting children,” PI
Kapil said.
Though PI Kapil had obtained an order from the Child Welfare Committee to hand over the abandoned child to the Dhavli-based NGO, the baby is still
undergoing treatment at the Hospicio.
Hospicio medical superintendent, Dr Ira Almeida pointed out that it is not uncommon to hear queries from couples willing to adopt abandoned children admitted in the hospital.
“We do receive adoption queries and the present case may not be an exception. But, we cannot hand over the child to anyone, except the designated homes. Couples intending to adopt children should approach the government constituted centres,” Dr Ira stated.
Women and child rights activist, Auda Viegas said that adoption of children can take place legally only by complying with the Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA) guidelines. “While it is heartening to note that there may be queries from couples to adopt abandoned children, there shall be no trade in children. If a child is fit for adoption, the couples need to apply to the prescribed authority and take the child for adoption,” she added.
Auda, however, expressed concern over the incidents of child abandonment which was witnessed in the vicinity of Margao, at Mandopa-Navelim and another at Salcete. “The incidence of child abandonment is a cause for worry. This form of child infanticide must stop immediately. We have to be pro-life,” she added.
