The Child Welfare Committee (CWC) of Shivamogga, taking note of recent incidents of newborn babies being abandoned, has said that people who are not in a position to care for their babies can hand them over to the committee instead of abandoning them.Recently, a newborn baby was found abandoned at the bus stand in Hosanagar. Earlier, two babies were found abandoned in Shivamogga city. After local residents alerted the administration, the babies were rescued and provided with first aid and the necessary medical care.Tajuddin Khan, chairperson of the CWC in Shivamogga, on Thursday told The Hindu that there could be many reasons for the abandonment of newborn babies. “People abandon babies for various reasons. The parents may not be in a position to take care of them, or the child may be born out of a pre-marital relationship. In such cases, people can hand over the babies to the CWC. We will take care of them,” Mr. Khan said.Once a baby is handed over to the CWC, the parents get a 60-day reconsideration period, during which they can reclaim the child if they change their decision. After this period, the child is declared “legally free for adoption.” “There were a couple of recent incidents of newborn babies being abandoned. If someone notices the baby early and hands it over to the administration and provide the necessary care, it is good. Otherwise, the child may face serious health problems. Hence, we appeal to people who face difficulty in caring for their children to hand them over to the CWC or contact the child helpline on 1098,” Mr. Khan added. Published - July 09, 2026 07:37 pm IST