Abandoned newborn baby girl of Rayagada rehabilitated in SAA

Badal Tah,Odishabarta

Rayagada, April 14: A newborn baby wrapped in old clothes was found abandoned near bushes at Jhadia Sahi village under Sikarpai Gram Panchayat in Rayagada district on Thursday morning. Some local women, who heard the wailing of the infant, spotted & rescued the child and brought her home. Then the villagers informed the police, who immediately admitted the baby to the Community Health Centre(CHC) and informed the Child Welfare Committee(CWC), Rayagada.

After instruction from Bidulata Huika, Chairperson, CWC, Rayagada, CWC’s member Advocate Gagarin Sabar and Special Adoption Agency(SAA) authorities immediately rushed to CHC, Kalyan Singhpur rescued the baby and agin admitted her to the District Headquarters Hospital(DHH) at Rayagada. According to the medical staff of the DHH, the baby weighs two kgs and is reported to be in stable condition. The baby will be in surveillance for next three days to check whether any infection is there. After this the baby will be rehabilitated in SAA, Rayagada.

As the villagers were celebrating Gayatri puja, they requested the CWC member and others to name the infant as Gayatri. Till date, no one has come forward to claim her. Kalayan Singhpur Police has launched an investigation in this regard.

Similarly during October, 2018, a new born baby girl was abandoned and rescued near a railway Track, Muniguda. In yet another case, a new born girl was found & rescued near a garbage bin during August, 2020.

“It is unfortunate that still the taboos are existing about the girl children even in tribal areas like Rayagada. They are still unwanted in the families, communities, which is again proved in case of Gayatri. The reasons could be many; but whatever be the reason, our society is yet to accept the realities of marriage, love, unwed mother, etc. This will stop if a concerted & empathetic action is taken by all the sections of our society”, said Huika.