Skewed gender ratio dips further in Fazilka, Abohar subdivisions

Skewed gender ratio dips further in Fazilka, Abohar subdivisions 
Praful Chander Nagpal

Fazilka, October 2
Efforts by the state government and various NGOs to check female foeticide have come to a naught. At least that appears from the skewed sex ratio figures emerging from Fazilka and Abohar subdivisions of the Fazilka district.

Against 1,000 boys, there are 892 girls in Fazilka subdivision, according to the figures of the 2011 Census. The count of females is four notches down from 896 in the last (2001) Census. The total population of the subdivision is 2,78,869.

Similarly, in Abohar subdivision, the ratio of girls was 864 in the 2001 Census, which, too, has come down by four points to 860 in the latest Census. The population of the subdivision stands at 2,52,345. The only consolation in the district is Jalalabad subdivision. Here, the population is 2,56,140. The ratio of girls has gone up from 917 in 2001 to 924. The figures were obtained from the government gazette by the Graduate Welfare Association Fazilka.

"The falling sex ratio puts a question mark over the government efforts to check foeticide, particularly in this border district. It appears that despite imposition of ban on pre-natal sex determination and stringent provisions of the PNDT Act, the tests are being conducted frequently," said PNDT Act Committee (Civil Hospital, Fazilka) member Raj Kishore Kalra.

Civil Surgeon, Ferozepur, Dr Kiranjit Singh, who assumed charge about two months back, said two ultrasound centres, of the total nine in Fazilka, had been sealed recently for after they were found flouting the norms of the PNDT Act.

Meanwhile, several NGOs have been continuously putting in efforts to check foeticide. While Social Welfare Society Fazilka has been organising seminars in government schools, the Sarhad Social Welfare Society has been organising Kanya Lohri Mela since the past 3 years. In this fair, the parents of the girl child are honoured.

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2011/20111003/punjab.htm#3