Health Deptt Asked To Submit Latest Findings
Srinagar: Expressing concern over the reported decline in sex ratio in Jammu and Kashmir, the Chief Secretary, Mohammad Iqbal Khandey Wednesday said that the issue should be flagged as a priority concern and dealt with determination.
Chairing the first meeting of the Task Force constituted to study various aspects of declining sex ratio and in particular child sex ratio in the state here, the Chief Secretary received appraisal of the data in this regard collected by different agencies districts wise.
Jammu and Kashmir is only behind Haryana and Punjab in child sex ration in 0 to 6 years age group. The state was better off with 963 females in 1981 and it gradually dropped to 941 females in 2001, dipping further to 862 females in 2011.
The trend has raised questions regarding the official claims about crackdown on prenatal sex determination tests and female foeticide in the state.
The Chief Secretary said that the issue is of significant ramification and the civil society as a whole has to play its important role to help in reversing the trend and ensuring equal chances of birth, growth and development of the girl child along with the male child.
The meeting took stock of the measures put in place by various agencies including the Health Department to book those who facilitate as well as help in sex determination and female foeticide. He asked for stringent punishment for the crime and said that necessary measures to make the laws more stringent need to be taken, besides, other effective administrative steps aimed at checking the sinful activity.
The Chief Secretary asked the Health Department to ascertain the latest situation with regard to child sex ratio from the data maintained through Health Management Information System (HMIS) to get a clear picture.
It was informed in the meeting that a State level monitoring committee is proposed to be constituted to conduct surprise checking- sting operation of the ultra-sound clinics, so as to check the mal-practices of sex determination and female foeticide in the state.
Besides, the punitive measures, amendments to the J&K PC&PNDT rules, the task force also recommended launching of aggressive awareness and Media campaigns to save the girl child.
The meeting was attended by Secretary Health and Medical Education, Divisional Commissioners Kashmir and Jammu, Directors Health Services Kashmir & Jammu, Mission Director NRHM J&K and Deputy Commissioners from Anantnag and Udhampur and other officers.
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