Brisk business & non-deterrent PNDT Act facilitates ‘latent’ female foeticide!!
By SAHAR KHAN
The Chhattisgarh state may lose a superior position in the country regarding its general sex ratio status, if the state fails to check ‘alarming’ decline in the Child Sex Ratio (CSR) as indicated in the latest estimates of the Sample Registration System (SRS).
CSR – number of girls per 1000 boys in the age group of 0-6 years, has been steadily coming down at a rate of 57 girls per thousand males in a span of five years (2001–06) in a state with predominantly tribal population. This trend now threatens to significantly bring down a sex-ratio statistics of Chhattisgarh with 989 females per thousand males, which is next to number one position holder Kerala state (1058) according to the 2001 census. The national average figure is 933.
According to the Population Foundation of India (PFI) that takes into account nationwide comparative data prepared by the SRS, there were 975 girls per thousand boys in 2001 in Chhattisgarh, which has now plummeted to 918 in 2006 and continues to show downward trend.
The state coordinator of PFI Jagannath K said that the alarming rate was noticed while mapping the CSR in the state in terms of losing-counts of girl child.
“The main reason behind the CSR decline seems to be a latent female foeticide, which might be widely-practised but going unnoticed by the state government,” opined Jagannath.
The State Health Resource Centre (SHRC) too does not seem to be happy with the existing trend. The SHRC informed that the Act prohibiting Pre-Natal Sex Determination Test (PNDT) though existing is regretfully not deterrent for both the doctors and the parents in the state.
Similarly, a senior medical practitioner, on condition of anonymity, admitted, “There is a brisk business attached to sex determination and consequently leading to female foeticide in this tribal state.” Recently the Raipur police have busted a racket involved in facilitating pre-natal sex selection clandestinely on a big scale.
On the possibility of service lapses accounting to high Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) among girls, Jagganath said, “IMR is equally for both boys and girls and may not directly account for the decrease in girl child population,” he said while underlining the covert sex discrimination practice adopted by parents in the state. The State has IMR of 70 (in 2003) as per the Government statistics.
Chhattisgarh, when carved out from Madhya Pradesh in November 2000 had nine out of its 16 districts with nearly equal number of females and males. Seven districts, according to the 2001 census, had noticeably more females.
“There should be no room for complacency for the State on its general sex ratio now,” cautioned the PFI state coordinator.
The tribal belt of the State with superior sex ratio record compared to non-tribal regions has also indicated upsetting trend on CSR, he added.
Though the tribal districts like Bastar, Dantewada and Rajnandgaon provide some face-saving grace to the dwindling CSR figure of the state, according to PFI.
The diminishing figure on girl child is also being confirmed by the state statistical department, which officially collects such information. Though the State health department officials refused to comment on the trend but they admitted the decline and assured of corrective measures being initiated. One could know what real picture is emerging when the national census is held after couple of years in 2011.
Training Coordinators at Regional Resource Centre, Reproductive & Child Health – II, in Chhattisgarh pitched hopes on the National Rural Health Mission programmes to enable the state to continue with a better general sex ratio.
Chhattisgarh has a comparatively low-density population with 154 persons per sq km as compared to 325 persons per sq km at the national level.