The child sex ratio in the state, at 883 girls per 1,000 boys according to provisional Census figures, has drastically plunged since the last Census and is well below the national average of 914 girls per 1,000 boys.
The child sex ratio in Maharashtra, at 883 girls per 1,000 boys according to provisional Census figures, has drastically plunged since the last Census and is well below the national average of 914 girls per 1,000 boys. And the ones most to blame could be erring doctors and state authorities who have defaulted in implementing the Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Technique (PCPNDT) Act.
In a corrective move, the BMC has now decided to investigate infant mortalities in the city and improve the child sex ratio.
Dr Asha Advani, special officer, BMC’s family welfare department, said, “We have stringently followed up with the doctors and sonography centres so that there is no violation and they adhere to the no sex determination law. In 2010, we seized nine sonography machines being used for sex determination.” Alluding to possible reasons for the dip in child sex ratio, she added, “Many families don’t take care of the girl child. Poor families don’t want to spend money on a girl child if she is ill. There are also incidents of girl children being abandoned after birth. “
Agreeing with Dr Advani, Dr Rekha Davar, head of the gynaecology department, Sir JJ Group of Hospitals, said, “This child sex ratio data proves that despite the PCPNDT Act, female infanticide continues. It continues regardless of advances in quality of life and literacy. We need to stop female infanticide and the law has to be stringently followed.”
Under a new project planned by BMC’s family welfare department, all the hospitals in the city will have to inform the BMC about every infant death, including the time and reason of death, immediately and also have to maintain a record. “We had done a similar thing for maternal mortality. Every infant death will be investigated. We will be sending a circular to all the hospitals soon,” said Dr Advani.
Along with female infanticide and abandonment, the city has also seen couples flocking to places like Bangkok and Dubai for sex determination and in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) procedures to ensure a boy child. Even Ranjeet Singh Deol, director of Census operation, Maharashtra, has stated selective abortion as one of the reasons for a diminishing child sex ratio. “Boy child-crazy families are working out new ways to eliminate the girl child. Wealthy couples find going to Dubai, Singapore or Bangkok as an affordable option. Details are easily available on websites too. When we refuse, they turn to such alternatives,” said a gynaecologist.
IVF has seen many takers too. An IVF expert revealed, “We have been getting couples from rich business backgrounds who already have a girl child and want a boy child to run the family business.”
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}