Nagpur’s sex ratio at birth dwindles, 2016 records 930/1000

NAGPUR: Alarming. City’s sex ratio at birth has decreased in 2016. Only 930 girl child births were registered as against 1000 boy child births in the year gone by. The data proves sex discrimination continued in the city unabatedly and this raises a big question on the Nagpur Municipal Corporation’s (NMC) claim of implementing the Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PCPNDT) Act effectively.
As per the NMC’s data, city registered birth of 29,417 male and 27,385 female babies between January 1 and December 31, 2016. The sex ratio at birth of 930/1000 is much lesser than that of 2015 when it was 944/1000.
The central government had given a target to all civic bodies to achieve 994/1000 sex ratio at birth that now seems a distant dream for the NMC. The ratio of 2016 is also lesser than the minimum benchmark set by the Centre at 951/1,000. The city’s ratio has also gone below the national average of 944/1,000.
Unfortunately, the 2016’s sex ratio at birth is much less than the overall sex ratio of the city. As per 2011 census, the overall sex ratio of the city was 961/1000. The ratio is higher than child sex ratio of 921/1000.
Incidentally, the state’s overall sex ratio and child sex ratio is very poor. As per 2011 census, the overall sex ratio of the state was 929/1000 and child sex ratio was even worse at 894/1000.
President of The Nagpur Obstetric and Gynaecological Society, Dr Anuradha Ridhorkar, told TOI that decrease or poor sex ratio at birth of the city is due to sex discrimination. “There is a misconception that sex discrimination is mostly followed by slum-dwellers or poor, but this is not true. The practice is mainly prevalent among the rich of the society, who are less educated but wealthy. A radiologist or any doctor would never suggest sex discrimination, but people find ways,” she said.
There is need to change the mindset of the people through awareness, Ridhorkar said adding, “PCPNDT Act is a complete legislation. The government is also taking the matter seriously. The Indian Medical Association and NOGS too have initiated various measures. There is need to spread awareness among women that they can be decision makers. Mindset of the males and their parents also requires to be changed.”
“We have launched a project — Udaan — under which NOGS members go to schools and spread awareness among girl students. Proper guidance from the school age can certainly put an end to sex discrimination,” Ridhorkar said.
The NOGS president also highlighted the fact that despite ban on child marriages, a large number of such cases were reported from Rajasthan recently. This prompts for a more proactive role on part of the government, she said.
NMC’s PCPNDT nodal officer, Dr Bhavna Sonkusre, said the NMC was effectively implementing the Act. “There are 540 sonography centres in the city of which 170 have been closed down. Our team of 60 doctors conducts inspection once every quarter. Vigilance team led by myself also conducts surprise checks. We have also done 21 sting operations in three years. We did not find a single case of violation of the Act. Also, there were no complaints. However, I cannot say that no sex discrimination takes place in the city,” Sonkusre said.