6 months on, Patiala 'panghura' receives first baby

PATIALA: It was a moment full of apprehension and joy when the high-decibel electric bell rang in the premises of Yadvindra Puran Bal Niketan, an orphanage managed by Patiala district administration. A staffer found a newborn girl when she opened the window in the 'panghura' (cradle).
Around six months after Patiala administration had set up 'panghura' - unique centre where "unidentified couples" can virtually drop their unwanted newborn children - received the first baby on Tuesday.Already functional in Bathinda, Amritsar and Jalandhar, such centres have cradles installed just outside their premises and electric bells are installed near 'panghura.'
"The electric bell point is placed just beneath the cradle. Whenever anybody places the newborn in it, the bell button is pressed automatically with the weight of the baby. It subsequently alerts staffers working inside about the presence of the abandoned infant," said Patiala deputy commissioner Varun Roojam.
The idea behind such initiatives was that instead of abandoning and throwing unwanted children, most of whom are baby girls, at secluded places and in open fields, they should be left discretely in the 'panghura.'
Such newborns are taken care of by staffers of the orphanages. Luckier ones find childless couples who are ready to adopt children. Last year, two such incidents were reported in Rajpura and Samana town of Patiala district where few year-old babies were found abandoned in open places.
"Our idea is that if anybody is going to abandon their babies in such a manner, then centres like 'panghura' are better places for such infants to live," added Roojam.
By next year, Patiala will be the only district where two such centres would be operational. "We are going to start another such centre in Patran town of the district, which is located around 45km away from here. That centre can also cater to a wider area," said the DC.