Monitor scanning centres in Dakshina Kannada, officials told

MLC Ivan D’Souza urged officials from the Department of Health and Family Welfare to raid and initiate action against scanning centres illegally carrying out sex determination tests leading to abortions.

The MLC observed that the skewed child sex ratio in Dakshina Kannada (DK) district is a matter of concern.

He urged all to work towards creating awareness among the people and ensure that Dakshina Kannada is not included in Beti Bachao Beti Padhao programme of the Union government during 2020-21.

He was addressing the gathering during the National Girl Child Day, organised by Dakshina Kannada district administration, Zilla Panchayat, Women and Child Development Department, Department of Health and Family Welfare and Department of Public Instruction.

According to the statistics with the department, sex ratio stood at 1,020 females per 1,000 males, compared to 2001 census figure of 1,022 females per 1,000 males in the district. There has been a drastic decline in the child sex ratio in the age group of 0-6 years.

In 2011 census, the child sex ratio was 947 girls per 1,000 boys compared to figure of 952 girls per 1,000 boys of 2001 census data. The child sex ratio in the district was less than the state average of 948, said the MLC.

There are 140 scanning centres in the district. The MLC urged the officials to monitor the scanning centres and hospitals where pregnant women undergo scanning
and newborn are delivered.

Prenatal sex determination is a crime and all those who are involved in it should be punished, he stressed.

Women and Child Development Department Deputy Director Usman said Beti Bachao Beti Padhao programme aims to create awareness on the ill-effects of decline in sex ratio and also creates awareness on the need to educate female kids.

After the programme was implemented, the sex ratio had slightly improved in the age bracket of 0-6 years. The sex ratio which was 950 girls for 1,000 boys in 2017-18 had increased slightly to 955 girls for 1,000 boys in 2018-19. Under the programme, Rs 1,000 each was given to parents of girl babies born in the month of November. A sum of Rs 7.50 lakh has been utilised.

An amount of Rs 2,000 was given to 25 female meritorious students who had excelled in extracurricular activities.

Usman said 12 female students who had excelled in SSLC examinations last year and 14 students who had excelled in PU examinations were felicitated on the occasion.

The students were given Rs 5,000 each along with certificates. As many as 23 schools that secured 100% results in SSLC were also honoured.

Top scorers in PU examinations: Olvita Ancilla D’Souza, Shreeya Shenoy, Prithvi Rai, Vishma Hegde, Jagrathi Nayak, Sudeepthi, Adithi Ashok Bandhari and Samitha Kumari were felicitated on the occasion.

Dakshina Kannada Deputy Commissioner Sindhu B Rupesh, ZP CEO Dr R Selvamani and others were present

Felicitation

Five gram panchayats with the maximum number of girl children born in 2019-20 were felicitated on the occasion.