Why should one of the largest genocide in history remain unchecked ? Experts who had gathered in the capital last week to look at our skewed sex ratios express surprise that the death of eight million girls in the last decade through “foetal sexing” continues to leave the government unmoved.
Activist George Sabu, who has devoted his life to ending this practise, believes Census 2011 has only confirmed how rampant the use of ultrasound devices have become as it spreads its tentacles across every corner of India.
The provisional data of Census 2011 has shown that the number of new-born girls is declining in Delhi (866 girls per 1000 boys) right under the Central government’s nose. “This declining trend is not limited to rural pockets of NCT but also to urban rich neighbourhoods such as South Delhi,” pointed out Varsha Joshi, director of Census operations in NCT Delhi.
A survey conducted across leading hospitals, including Jaipur Golden, Safdarjung Hospital, LNGP and AIIMS has brought to light that Delhi’s affluent indulge in greater numbers of sex selective abortions than those less well-off.
A decade long study titled “Analysis of Sex Ration at Birth in Delhi Hospital” carried out by the Christian Medical Association of India has also found that Delhi’s private hospitals have a much higher figure of sex selective abortions than did government hospitals.
Dr Joe Verghese of the CMA said, “Our study revealed that if the first child is a girl, then 50 per cent of female foeticide takes place when the mother is pregnant the second time round. But this goes up to 70 per cent when the woman is expecting her third child. Our study has shown that in such cases only 219 girls are born for every 1000 boys.”
Commenting on the Census data for Delhi, which shows 866 girls per 1,000 boys, Dr Puneet Bedi, a Delhi-based gynaecologist, said, “The medical profession has been criminalised with doctors going to any length to conduct sex detection clinics.”
Centre For Advocacy & Research (CFAR) activist Rizvi, who is tracking “foetal sexing” in Rajasthan, warns that the sharp decline in sex ration figures in this state started from 2005 when medical practitioners began to use sonographic machines. The result has been plunging sex ratios which have dipped 47 points in Dausa, 45 points in Tonk and 40 points in Jaipur according to the latest Census.
“We have segregated women with a male child and those with daughters and found that it was women with female children who visit clinics repeatedly to get ultrasounds done,” said Rizwan.
Dr Neelam Singh, chief functionary with Vatsalaya in Lucknow concurs. “This is an organised medical crime where there is a clear nexus between mid-wife, anganwadi worker and medical practitioners.”
The government’s lack of seriousness is reflected in the ministry of health’s directive to make district collectors responsible for the implementation on the PNDT Act in place of the chief medical officers.
Activists argue that district collectors are so overwhelmed that they have neither the time nor the necessary expertise to effectively implement this law. CMOs are unwilling to deal with female foeticide cases and the statutory Form Fs which spell out the pregnancy details of women can need to be submitted on a monthly basis by both government and private hospitals are seldom collected by them.
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Punjab to reward stings on foeticide
Age Correspondent
Chandigarh
June 26: The Punjab government says it will solicit journalistic sting operations to try and expose the continuing scourge of female foeticide in the border state.
Health minister Satpal Gosain’s “innovative” initiative includes a Rs. 50,000 prize for each sting that leads to the arrest of doctors, medical staff and owners of diagnostic centres surreptitiously indulging in prenatal sex-determination or the illegal abortion of female babies. Mr Gosain, who has been voicing concern over Punjab’s disappearing girl children since he took charge of the health portfolio a month ago, said private individuals would also be eligible for the prize money if they help apprehend culprits.
Punjab and neighbouring Haryana have the worst male:female sex ratios in India. In fact, the 2011 Census of India has shown that the numbers of women in these states have decreased progressively and reflected in child sex ratios.