IMPHAL, Nov 26 MNS NNN : The normal ratio of girl child in Manipur has now dropped to a record low as the people are using Pre-natal Diagnostic Technique (PNDT) to abort girl child hence proper implementation of PC& PNDT Act is required in the state in order to stop such practice, Directorate of Family Welfare Services, Manipur, said Monday.
Naorem Achouba, Director, Directorate of Family Welfare Services, Manipur stated this during a 1-day capacity building workshop for media (both print and electronic) and the State Appropriate Authority (SAA) and PNDT Cell on “Conception and Pre-natal Diagnostic Technique Act” organised by the Directorate at its Conference Hall, BT Road, Imphal.
“The decline in normal child sex ratio in Manipur is in a serious stage and proper implementation of PC&PNDT Act is the need of the hour to save the girl child,” Achouba said.
As per a directive issued by the Central Government in 2003, the practice of PNDT has been banned in Manipur, the Director informed. He, however, said that this ban has not been effective in the state till now.
The decrease in the number of girl child in the age group 0-6 in the state clearly indicates that such technique is still in practice in the state issued despite the ban and that abortions are being carried out after sex determination.
According to 1991 Census, the normal ratio of girl child was 974, while in 2001 the ratio was dropped at 952 and then in 2011 it has been again dropped at 934, Achouba said. The above figures show the number of girl child in descending order. The world normal child ratio is 950.
He further said the world normal child ratio is 950 and if this ratio is below the normal figure, the stage has to be taken as alarming. Therefore, PC&PNDT Act is necessary to strengthen in the state, he suggested.
Dr K Rajo, Additional Director, Family Welfare, Manipur and Dr Th Arunkumar, Nodal Officer, PNDT, Family
Welfare, Manipur were also present at the workshop.
It may be noted that the Supreme Court, taking a serious view of the onslaught of sex-selective discriminatory practices by the medical fraternity, and the connection it may have with the use of pre-natal sex determination, directed the Centre to implement the PC & PNDT Act in all its aspects. The order came following a public interest petition filed by the centre for the Enquiry of Health and Allied Themes (CEHAT), the Mahila Sarvangeen Utkarsh Mandal (MASUM) and Dr. Sabu George, who had done extensive research in this area.
Under the overall umbrella of National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) is being proposed by the way of including as a part of RCH II Program. While RCH II is linked with the critical concerns of safe mother hood, child health and reproductive health issues, (SGC) integrates the Girl child survival before & after conception through implementation of Pre-conception and Pre natal diagnostic technique Act 1994 by regulating misuse of pre-conception and pre natal diagnostic techniques for sex selection and promotion of girl child in the country. SGC will be a decentralized centrally sponsored program. To ensure efficient implementation of PC&PNDT Act To reduce pre conception and prenatal mortality of girl child and hence improve sex ratio at birth All Pre-conception and Pre Natal Diagnostic Centers Implementing agencies Public Medical professionals
To ensure implementation of all promotional schemes for girl child at district level.Monitoring and evaluation of implementation of PNDT Act through community participations. Renewal of registrations to be taken on the basis of track record in terms of record keeping, etc of the PNDT Clinics
Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/murder-of-unborn-girl-child-increasing-in-manipur/
