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Female infanticides alarming in Palamur
With more and more female foetus being killed in wombs, the growing menace of female infanticide in Mahbubnagar district has become a big matter of concern. Going by the statistics of 2011 census, the male-female birth ratio in the district is for every 1,000 male births, the district has only 972 female births, this too reduced from 977 during the past one decade.
Mahbubnagar: With more and more female foetus being killed in wombs, the growing menace of female infanticide in Mahbubnagar district has become a big matter of concern. Going by the statistics of 2011 census, the male-female birth ratio in the district is for every 1,000 male births, the district has only 972 female births, this too reduced from 977 during the past one decade.
According to District Collector Ronald Rose, during the past five years, the figure has further dwindled and at present it is expected to touch as low as 1000:930 across the country. “It is a big matter of concern that the male-female birth rates have been showing drastic inequality across the State. The main reason for this is killing female children in wombs itself by aborting. This menace is prevailing more particularly among the STs in Lamada thandas,” said the Collector.
To contain this menace of growing female infanticide, Ronald Rose called up on all healthcare workers, particularly, healthcare experts dealing with women related diseases, gynacologists, radiologists, sonalogists, ANMs and Asha workers in the rural areas to take the responsibility to contain the growing menace of female infanticide in the district.
“We have asked the healthcare workers in the rural areas to record all details of 16-20 weeks old pregnant women who have undergone scanning tests. And if anyone is not reporting for deliveries at the hospitals, such cases will be investigated and if found any kind of illegal abortion, we will take stern action against them as per the PNDT Act 1994 and rules 1996,” said the Collector.
Despite many steps being taken up by the State government to create awareness about the growing imbalances between the male and female population ratios, no one seems to pay heed to it. Majority of parents, particularly in rural areas and tribal hamlets are killing female babies in wombs or immediately after the birth.
To escape the strict regulations and stringent laws, some of the pregnant women are also going to other States like Karnataka and Maharashtra to get the sex determination tests of their infants done and later opting for abortions. “It has come to our notice that some pregnant women are also going to other States for sex determination tests.
We have issued clear instructions to all healthcare workers like ANMs and Asha workers in the villages to record the names of pregnant women in the register and keep a special tab on suspicious activities. We have also asked gynacologists in the district to render free service once in a week at the government hospitals and spread awareness about the normal deliveries among the women,” said the Collector.
By A Raju
