Sonepur: Residents from 965 villages and three urban areas of the district came out in numbers to form a human chain in a bid to create awareness against child marriage on Saturday.

Organised by the district administration with technical assistance from Action Aid, a voluntary organisation, about 60,000 women of 5,000 self-help groups of the district and other people took part in the awareness drive as human chains were formed in the village level, block level and district level at the same time.

In Sonepur, a 1km-long human chain was formed between Nalini Chowk and Government Girls' High School. Hundreds of people from all walks of life, including government servants, took part in the unique initiative. The drive was a first of its kind in Odisha to fight against a social evil such as child marriage.

Action Aid programme manager Ghasiram Panda such awareness campaigns would go a long way in fighting child marriage in the district. Panda said the national family health survey showed that Odisha was reeling from serious female health problems because of such practices. "The survey shows that 7.5 per cent of women in Odisha become mother in the age between 15 and 19. The number is highest (16.1 per cent) in Mayurbhanj district."

However, in Sonepur, it is 3.2 per cent, Panda said. "Similarly, 21.3 per cent of women in Odisha get married before the age of 18 years. In Sonepur district, it is 22.2 per cent, which is more than the state average. There is urgent need to sensitise the people to fight the menace of child marriage."

Sonepur collector Dasarathi Satapathy emphasised on education for girls.

"The parents must give priority to their education than marrying them off as children. Girls should not be seen as a burden to the family," he said. Adolescent girls always have dreams of their own, he said. "They must be allowed to follow their dreams for which they need to be healthy in mind, body and soul. Our society must look to these issues instead of marrying them off early," he said.

Last month, collector Dasarathi Satapathy had sent a strong message to temple authorities, priests and tent house owners that action would be taken against them if they were found to be a party in the solemnisation of any child marriage. A letter of the collector from the district child protection unit said all these people formed an integral part in any marriage and they would be held responsible if any child marriage took place in any temple or private place.