Who are we?

Ranchi, Feb. 21: Over 40 children in the Dhalbhum sub-division of East Singhbhum are facing an identity crisis.

Their birth certificates have not been issued because they did not produce their immunisation cards at the time of application. While this is being interpreted by social workers as “denial of citizenship”, official sources feel that such a condition has been imposed to promote immunisation because the government wants all the children to be immunised.

In November 2006, Adarsh Seva Sansthan wrote to the Dhalbhum office to issue birth certificates to 29 children from Adivasi Jahira Basti and 17 children from Shyam Nagar, Kadma. Both the areas come under the purview of the Dhalbhum sub-divisional office of East Singhbhum.

The general section of that office in its letter dated January 1, 2007, reminded Adarsh Seva Sansthan that it had to produce immunisation cards for verification, which would be returned in due time. Only then will the birth certificates be issued.

Children awaiting the birth certificates are between three and 13 years.

Jhingi Barjo of Jahira Basti — the eldest of the 46 children — was born on December 1, 1994, while Anjali Lohar of Shyam Nagar, Kadma, was born on July 2, 2005.

When contacted, the sub-divisional officer of Dhalbhum said though there is no legal link between the issue of birth certificates and immunisation cards, he will probe into the matter.

He also said measures are being taken to promote immunisation because birth certificates are necessary for admission to schools and the government is serious about immunising every child.

There have also been cases where parents conceal the real age of their child to get admission and thus, the immunisation cards may have been demanded to get the correct information about the age, the SDO said.

But if that is the case, then why is there a delay in issuing birth certificates to a three-year-old? The sub-divisional officer said that he would look into the matter.

Applications for birth certificates should be made within a month of the child’s birth and the staff is bound to get suspicious if such applications are made at the time of admission, he added.