The provisional census 2011 findings, however, are not so alarming: They estimated that there were 901 girls per 1,000 boys in the areas falling under the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC), from Airoli to Belapur. In Thane district, figures have dropped from 915 in the 2001 census to 905 in the 2011 census in urban areas while for Raigad, from 914 to 903. In rural areas of Thane, the figures have dipped from 966 to 953, and Raigad, from 946 to 937. Given the disparity in the census data and Cidco's survey, experts said the development corporation should release the sample size of the population surveyed, income groups and even their methodology.
Doctors in government departments, too, said the misuse of sonography machines to determine the sex of the foetus and thereafter terminate the pregnancy could be the reason for the skewed child sex ratio.
A Cidco source said, "Urbanization has had a negative impact on the health of the female child. The illegal use of high-tech machines and equipment has led to more boys being born in society."
Deepak Paropkari, medical health department of NMMC, recently sealed 18 sonography machines and suspended 14 registration centres . "We are soon going to file a case to prosecute the offenders under the PNDT (Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques) Act. We have taken a very serious view of the offences and will not spare anyone guilty of not maintaining their records as required under the law," said Paropkari.
Civil surgeon of Raigad district, R K Nitturkar, told TOI that four diagnostic centres in Panvel have been closed with an equal number of machines sealed for lack of proper records. The F-formwhich must include a pregnant woman's medical and other relevant details-has 19 columns, but according to Nitturkar , there have been cases where columns have conveniently not been filled.
Times View Health activists believe that every day, 1,600 girls who should have been born in India aren't allowed to. This seems far from an exaggeration when one considers that Maharashtra's child sex ratio stands at 883 girls for every 1,000 boys under the age of six. The missing girl is indeed one of the biggest public health problems in the country today. While the law has been in place for almost a decade, convictions have been low. This is an indication of a lack of political and administrative will to tackle the problem head-on .
DISAPPEARING GIRL CHILD
Areas covered by Cidco: Airoli, Ghansoli, Koparkhairane, Vashi, Sanpada, Nerul, CBD Belapur, Kharghar, Kalamboli, Jui Kamothe, New Panvel and Dronagiri
Socio-economic survey results: For every 1,000 boys under the age of six, Navi Mumbai's 12 nodes have on an average only 697 girls. In 2005, the figure was higher at 745 females per thousand males
Grey Area: Many experts have questioned Cidco's methodology as data released by the provisional census 2011 is not so alarming. When freshnewsmumbai.blogspot.com pointed out the shockingly low ratio, Cidco officials refused to elaborate on the survey's methodology or the sample size. "Our sample size was small and we haven't taken migration as a factor while calculating the figures," said an official
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