Female foeticide continues unabated in North Karnataka

Despite preventive measures taken by the government, sex determination that promotes female foeticide is being conducted on the sly in many cities of North Karnataka. A recent surprise visit of National Inspection and Monitoring Committee (NIMC), that conducted raids on 100 scanning centres in Bagalkot district, has raised many questions among the public. 

Though the committee, involving officials like Dr Sabu George, Dr Rawat Jaan, Dr Janaki Mishra and Dr Varsha Deshpande, did not detect cases of illegal sex determination, it is said the raids were conducted following complaints on the same issue. 

The secret raids were restricted to only Bagalkot, Bangalore Urban and Bangalore Rural districts in the state. However, negligence of maintaining records in most of centres and nursing homes is being considered as a clue for the act. The committee has taken serious note of disappearance of a scanning machine from Shraddha Scanning Centre in Bagalkot. It also found improper documents at Dr Kanthi Nursing Home and Dr Shirur Nursing Home. 

Bagalkot registered a child sex ratio of 1000:935 (males:females) in the 2011 census, against 1000:940 in 2001. When dna spoke to members working at scanning centres and people involved in female foeticide, the revelations were startling. 

Even those from literate and economically sound backgrounds were found to be practice prenatal sex determination. A pregnant woman, who is also a government teacher in Koppal district, revealed that she determined the sex of her fetus at a scanning centre. “As I already have two daughters, what is wrong in having a diagnosis?” she asked.

She also stressed on the need for the amendment for Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PCPNDT) Act, 1994, that is framed to prevent female foeticide. “Otherwise it will definitely promote illegal determination,” she opined.