Please, don’t leave newborns to die : Abandoned girl appeals

By Our Staff Reporter
IMPHAL, Dec 22: Yaiphabi (not real name), abandoned by her biological mother at birth, is now a Government employee and leading a secure life with her adoptive parents.
Some 23 years back, newborn Yaiphabi wrapped by a piece of cloth and put inside a plastic bag was abandoned by her own biological mother on a heap of garbage at a place in Imphal West district.
At that time, a couple was unable to conceive even after several years of marriage and their only prayer was to be blessed with a child.
Finally, the couple decided to adopt a child and they adopted a baby from a specialized adoption agency (SAA) after completing all the legal process.
Thus Yaiphabi, abandoned by her biological mother, landed in the lap and warmth of her adoptive mother.
The couple showered all their love, compassion and care on the girl and they took full responsibility for her upbringing.
Yaiphabi who could have died on the heap of garbage soon after birth is now an educated woman and also a Government employee.
Yaiphabi’s adoptive parents were also candid enough to tell her the fact that they adopted her. They also narrated all the details of how they adopted her.
On learning about how her biological mother left her to die soon after birth and how her adoptive parents took care of her, Yaiphabi’s love for her adoptive parents grew even stronger.
The moment she learnt that her parents adopted her, she saw them as living Gods and she prostrated before them, crying out aloud.
“Even if a mother must abandon her newborn baby for fear of stigma, discrimination, taboo or out of selfish motives, please do so at the cradle points opened in each and every district under Social Welfare Department instead of throwing away the innocent babies as garbage in garbage pits, drains and inside shrubs/bushes”, Yaiphabi said.
Specialized Adoption Agency, Imphal East Manager coordinator Thingnam Roshan said that cradle points have been opened at children homes and specialized adoption agencies of every district, NGOs, shelter homes, gates of JNIMS Hospital, RIMS Hospital, district hospitals and private hospitals.  
One woman counsellor of Dewlahland Children Home (Mahila Kalyan Samiti) found a newborn baby abandoned at the cradle point opened at the children home’s gate on April 10, 2023.
As the SAA Imphal East got information of the abandoned baby, SAA Imphal East and District Child Protection Unit shared the information with police.
Soon, a team of SAA Imphal East and the District Child Protection Unit went to the cradle point and took the baby to a nearby hospital.
After it was confirmed that the baby had no medical problems, she was handed over to the authority concerned.
SAA Thoubal Manager Coordinator Laishram Leimathoibi said that a newborn baby boy was abandoned at their cradle point located at Charangpat at around 11.30 pm of January 19, 2023.
“We came to know that a baby had been left on the cradle because the mattress is fitted with a battery-operated machine which sets off an alarm inside the SAA office when a baby is put on it”, Leimathoibi said.
After informing police, SSA Thoubal and District Child Protection Unit took the baby to a nearby hospital for a health check-up. The baby was handed over to the authority concerned after it was confirmed that the baby was safe.
Manipur Commission for Protection of Child Rights (MCPCR) Chairperson Keisam Pradipkumar said that so far two babies have been found abandoned at the cradle points opened in Imphal East and Thoubal out of all the cradle points in every district of Manipur.
Cradle points opened under the guidelines of the Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA) serve as a lifeline for abandoned babies and a bridge to their new parents. Moreover, man or woman who abandons unwanted babies at these cradle points can still conceal their identities, Pradipkumar said.
If the limited number of babies abandoned at the cradle points so far is any indication, majority of the people have little idea of these cradle points or men/women who must abandon newborns fear social stigma and legal action, he said.
There must be a safe environment around all cradle points so that no one knows when any man or woman comes to drop unwanted babies at these cradle points, he asserted.