Sex ratio imbalance will cause social problems: Renuka

Hyderabad, Sep 21 (UNI) Expressing serious concern over imbalance in sex ratio due to the 'misuse' of pre-natal diagnostic techniques, Union Women and Child Welfare Minister Renuka Chowdary today called for halting the practice of female foeticide as it would adversely affect the 5000-year old gene pool of the country.

The problem was more severe in the progressive states of Punjab, Haryana and the national capital, particularly in South Delhi, which have a very high literacy rate at a time when the world was moving towards feminisation, she said while taking part in a workshop on ''Femala Foeticide and Protection of Girl Child.'' In some of the districts in Punjab and Haryana, the sex ratio had come down to 1000:600, leading to peculiar incidents like four brothers marrying one girl and father and son marrying the same girl, she said adding the decrease in female population was resulting in unhealthy trend of sex workers from abroad, particularly from Eastern Europe settling here.

Inter-country marriages were likely to have a ripple effect on the 5000-year gene pool of India, she felt.

She opined that female foeticide was a 'cold-blooded murder' by parents themselves without realising that family and society at large could not move forward without due role for women on all affairs, including in legislatures.

''We don't want to replace men in legislative bodies. But be partners in the decision-making process and prove that we are equal if not better than men,'' she asserted.

Underscoring the need for girls education, she said it was the best asset parents could give their daughters.

Central Social Welfare Board Chairperson Rajani Patil said the Board would intensify its campaign involving the state and district level machinery in a two-pronged effort of education and prevention.

The campaign involved creating awareness among the community to value the girl child and recognise her equal importance in society and her equal right to life, liberty, education and health.

The second plank was prevention of female foeticide by effectively enforcing the provisions of the Pre-Natal Diagnostics Technique Act with involvement of district and block officials, she added.

Inaugurating the workshop, Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy said the government was implementing proactive measures so that a girl child would not be perceived as an economic liability.

Explaining the measures, Dr Reddy said those deciding to undergo family planning surgery after the first being a girl child would be given Rs one lakh and those after two girl children Rs 30,000. The government would take care of children's education.

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