Mumbai: To control the depleting child sex ratio of Maharashtra, the Public Accounts Committee of the Maharastra Assembly has asked the state government to bring a stricter law that will prevent parents from committing female foeticide.
“There is need of stricter law for parents in such cases. As of now doctors are held responsible. But fear of law should be created for parents also,” suggests the PAC report, which was tabled in the Assembly on Friday. The suggestion is important as recently cases of female foeticide came to light at Sangli, western Maharashtra.
Ironically, data from PAC shows that Sangli district has actually improved its position in child sex ratio in the 2001-11 decade. Sangli’s ratio has gone up by 16 in this decade. In March 2017, 19 foetuses were found in Mhaisal village of Sangli district. Babasaheb Khidrapure, a homeopathic doctor, was arrested for these illegal abortions.
The PAC report also confirmed that Beed district of Marathwada has been the district most culpable over killing of foetuses. Beed’s child sex ratio has dropped by 87, the lowest in the state. In 2001, Beed had 894 girl children per 1,000 males but it has dropped to 807 in 2011. It was in Beed that the infamous case of abortion of female foetuses by Dr Sudam Munde came to light. The PAC report also shows a steady increase in child sex ratio in urban areas of the state after 2010. While in 2010 the ratio was 854, in 2011 it reached 861, in 2012 it was 894, in 2013 it was 901 and in 2014, reached 919.
The report, in its conclusion, said, “If doctors, parents, district health officer and NGOs are included in sonography tracking process, it will positively change the picture. The state should send this suggestion to centre for bringing amendment.”
