|
Male migrants behind dipping sex ratio in
Capital
Female
foeticide may still be far from being eliminated, it is not the most
important factor behind the skewed sex ratio in the Capital, if
Delhi
health officials are to be believed. Instead it is the huge number of
male migrants coming from the States such as
Bihar
, Haryana and Rajasthan who are responsible for dipping sex ratio in the
Capital, they feel. The health officials shared this unusual observation
recently with the members of a Delhi Government’s Committee on Child
and Welfare which was set up to look into issues pertaining to Welfare
of Women and Children including declining sex ratio.
Delhi
's sex ratio at 867 is lowest when compared to metros like Chennai and
Mumbai and also against national average of 927. To substantiate their
“migration theory”, officials said “the figures available for 2002
from the Planning Department reflected that population in Delhi has
increased by four lakh 33 thousand of which two lakhs 18 thousand belong
to the migrants category, “ the report said. Referring to a survey
that said that 85 per cent of the homeless people in the Capital are
male in the age group of 8-14 years, the health official said, hence the
imbalance in male-female is due to the boys coming from other States and
not due to foeticide alone.” However, the health officials were silent
on the declining sex ratio in the age group of 0-6 years, which is the
main basis of determining the sex ratio of any State. The report of the
eight-member panel, which contains steps to curb foeticide, was tabled
in Assembly recently for the first time following the carving out of
Child and Welfare department from the Social Welfare department of the
Delhi Government. The panel has also blamed the poor sex ratio on the
nexus between doctors and the chief district health official, poor
police action as well poor public awareness. For better results, it said
District Commissioner (Revenue) should be handed over the charge to look
into the foeticide issue instead of chief District health official.
“Due to the poor vigilance by the chief district medical official, the
number of girls in the city is declining. Stringent action would help in
bringing positive results,” the report said. It added that the
advanced machines used in the nursing homes were being misused and there
was a need to keep a close tab on their usage. “The district health
official should find out, why the percentage of girls born in the
nursing homes and hospitals in their area was less,” the report said,
while asking officials to create awareness that girls are not burden but
an asset to the society. (Source:
The Pioneer, 31 March 2008)
|
