POKHARA: A newborn baby boy — found abandoned in front of a shop at Shantinagar Chowk in Pokhara Lekhnath Metropolitan City-7 on Tuesday — is now undergoing treatment at Western Regional Hospital in Pokhara.

Not having seen the parents, a local resident informed the police and the baby was immediately rushed to the hospital. The parents have not been found despite the ongoing search nor have any relatives shown up to claim the baby, who appears to be about one and a half months old and is now doing well.

On hearing this news, some couples without children have approached Women Development Office, Kaski with requests for adoption. According to Chief Women Development Officer at the office, Tulsa Aryal, a 15-day public notice would be released and if the parents or relatives do not claim the baby within that duration, the baby would be handed over to one of the applicants.

“We have received two such applications, one in person and another through the phone,” said Aryal. She added that this was not the first time they were getting requests from couples without children for adoption of abandoned babies.

The families shall be given the authority for one of the three procedures, allowing to bring up the child as a godson, allowing to look after and protect the child, and allowing to look after the child for now, informed Tara Nath Adhikari, Chief at the District Administration Office, Kaski.

Meanwhile, the families shall be reviewed on the basis of their economic condition and information regarding their first child.