App to monitor children during Bhavani Diksha Virmana used in Mahakumbh Mela

WD&CW Project Director G. Uma Devi atop Vijayawada’s Indrakiladri, tying tags to prevent children from going missing during Bhavani Diksha Viramana. | Photo Courtesy: GN Rao

The Child Monitoring System (CMS) app used in the Bhawani Diksha Tyaga at Indrakiladri will be deployed during the Mahakumbh Mela – 2025, to be held from January 13, 2025, to trace the missing children, said NTR District Collector G Laxmisha.

“Through CMS, 15,650 children, including some Bhawanis, were given tags to prevent them from going missing during the annual festival Bhawani Diksha Viramana (Sacrifice) celebrated in Vijayawada from December 21 to 25,” said Mr. Laxmisha, who designed the app.

G Uma Devi, Project Director of NTR District Women Development and Child Welfare (W&CW) Department, which formed a special team to search for the missing children, said that many children separated from their parents were identified using the tags given to them.

“Following Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu’s direction to harness technology, we have designed a CMS app. The app designed in a day helped to trace many children. We plan to recommend Mahakumbh Mela organizers to use the app,” said Mr. Laxmisha. Hindu Wednesday.

More than 20 teams including Child Development Project Officers (CDPOs), One Stop Center (OSC), District Child Protection Unit (DCPU) and Anganwadi Centers were deployed at Pandit Nehru Bus Station (PNBS), Railway Station and other public places. places.

“A tag will be attached to the child with a QR code, which will include the child’s name, parent’s details, mobile number, place and district. When a devotee scans the QR code, he will get all the details and can trace the parents by calling their mobile number,” said the collector.

Ms. Uma Devi said that the team had identified children participating in Bhavani Diksha Virmana at Indrakiladri and tagged them at bathing ghats, parking lots, queue lines and other points.

“The CMS app helped us trace my seven-year-old son who went missing during Bhavani Diksha Viramana. Thanks to the authorities for introducing the app,” said devotee Bhaskar, who came from Gurla village in Vizianagaram district for the festival.

Mr. Laxmisha said that other apps designed to inform devotees about the arrangements for Bhavani Deeksha Virman have also received good response.

“My daughter got separated from us during the festival of Indrakiladri. The tag given by officers at the railway station helped us locate the girl within an hour,” said Saraswati, who hails from Khammam in neighboring Telangana.