Travails of a two-year-old due to illegal adoption

Hyderabad: Illegal adoption is not a new norm in India, but some stories which surfaced in the media in the recent times have surely grabbed the attention of one and all. One such story is of two-year-old Tanvitha of Mahabubabad, who did not have to wait long to face the pangs of life.

While Tanvitha’s biological mother and illegally adopted mother are fighting it out on streets for the custody of the two-year-old, she is forced to stay at a State-run Sishu Gruha in Khammam for the last five days.

The ‘illegal adoption’ of Tanvitha in Mahabubabad and another child from Vikarabad district came to light a couple of days ago. A five-day-old baby from Vikarabad district was allegedly adopted by a midwife (ANM). The illegal adoptions in the country continue despite the stringent laws and practices enforced by the Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA).

Although the Adoption Regulations 2017, were touted as the path-breaking one in terms of addressing the challenges faced by authorities and the prospective adoptive parents (PAPs), the progress achieved by CARA was little. Statistics suggest that even though the CARA receives around 20,000 applications per annum from childless couples, who wish to adopt children, it is able to cater to the needs of just around 3,000.

There are many issues that play a deterring role in the adoption. Apart from religious, social and cultural milieu, the sex and colour of the child also play a key role in the adoption of a child and legal and bureaucratic reasons add more hassles to the already complicated process of adoption.

As a result, the adoption rate continues to lag in achieving the set target. In all, 16,181 adoptions have been registered in the country between 2013 and 2017. Of which, 2,048 are inter country adoptions.
CARA chairman (Advisory Committee) M Ramachandra Reddy said, “efforts are on to increase the number of adoptions. The target is to achieve 7,000 adoptions during 2017-18.

The onus is on Child Welfare Committees and District Child Protection Units.” He said the results would be much better if the constitution of State-level CWSs is done in accordance with the provisions of Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act 2015, which play a key role in the adoptions. To stop the needless complications arising out of registration of adoptions by the sub-registrar, the CARA chairman urged the government to stop such practice.

Meanwhile, the position of Tanvitha, who is staying in Khammam Sishu Gruha, hangs in balance as the authorities are considering a DNA test to determine her biological mother, to keep the slate clean before handing over the girl as per the norms of CARA.

It may be noted here, that Tanvitha was given to a childless couple of Yellandu by her father soon after her birth. The tussle began soon after the biological mother of the child wanted to take her daughter back while the adopted mother was expressing unwillingness in handing the child back.