BLEAK FUTURE: This 5-day-old baby boy was discovered at Madh Island on Sunday, as reported in MiD DAY yesterday.PIC/SHAILESH BHATIA

Even as help begins to pour in for the 5-day-old baby boy discovered at Madh Island in the wee hours of Sunday morning, his future remains bleak. His fate is just as uncertain as the scores of infants who are abandoned every year in the city.

According to the Juvenile Justice Act (2000), it takes four months for an abandoned baby to be legally put up for adoption. Dr Nilima Mehta, ex chairperson of the state Child Welfare Committee said that the time gap was given so that the birth mother could reconsider her decision to give up the child.

"This time gap is allotted so that the birth mother who had abandoned her baby due to an acute stress disorder could take her baby back, if she was willing to. The idea is to neither rush the process nor take too long to ensure the child's welfare. However, if four months have passed and the baby is still not up for adoption, then something is seriously wrong."

Dr Mahendra Wadiwala, medical superintendent, Bhagwati Hospital told MiD DAY that though he had fielded an inquiry from a curious NRI for the baby's adoption, he wasn't in a position to commit. "An NRI Jayant Dogra had come in to ask about how he could adopt the baby. However, it's too early to take such a decision. The baby has to recover completely first." Wadiwala added that at least three abandoned babies are brought to Bhagwati every month. 

Even in the case of baby Khushi, the baby girl abandoned by her biological parents, Sion Hospital officials remain uncertain about her status after she left the hospital. "She left the hospital in early June and she was transferred to an adoption agency. We don't know what has happened to her since," said Dr Sandhya Kamat, dean of Sion Hospital.

Achala Sachdev's experience

Model turned choreographer Sachdev was moved by the tale of an abandoned baby found at Masjid police station and was determined to adopt the girl. She recounts her experience:

"When I heard about the baby, I visited JJ Hospital and Asha Sadan every single day for three months. At first, the staff didn't really trust me as they thought that my intentions weren't genuine as I was a celebrity. However three months on, they realised that I was really committed to taking care of the child.

The people at the orphanage, however, did mention that since my intentions had gained a lot of publicity, the birth parents of the child may land up at my door in the future.

They explained that this could prove detrimental to the child and me too and so I had to let her go. Since then, she has found new parents. I don't know who they are and I don't want to know either, as long as she's happy, I'm content and maybe at some point later in my life, I'll come across another chance like this again."