The Times of India News Service

GULBARGA: With sale of female babies in the Kochavaram area in Chincholi taluk of Gulbarga district coming to light, the Karnataka government seems to have woken up from slumber.

The state government has now set itself the task of promoting small families and child health care among the Banjaras residing in the thandas (hamlets) of Kochavaram area.

As per the directions of the government, the Health Department is holding a week-long campaign on `Small family and childhealth care' in the surrounding areas of Kochavaram.

Allamaprabhu Patil, Gulbarga Zilla Panchayat president, will inaugurate the campaign at Onti Chinta village on Wednesday. Vijay Lakshmi Chamanal, vice- president of Gulbarga ZP, all the zilla panchayat members of Chincholi taluk, and top officials of the ZP will attend the campaign, according to a press note issued here on Tuesday.

It may be recalled, five female babies from the Onti Chinta village were sold to some organisations. During the visit of the ministers and top officials, it was observed, all families of the hamlets had many members and the female babies were less cared for when compared to male babies.

Meanwhile, the CoD which is probing the matter of sale of female babies in the Konchavaram area has collected all documents, including a case file from Gulbarga district police and has started an independent probe, highly placed sources told The Times of India here on Tuesday.