Kunal Shrivatsa
JAMMU, Feb 28: Despite striking ideological differences over scores of issues, Members Legislative Assembly found their sync on the vital question of falling sex ratio in the state Friday, when defying party affiliations, the MLAs in one voice supported the Private Member's Resolution on female foeticide moved by PDP MLA Choudhary Zulfikar Ali along with the amendment moved by Nizam-ud-Din Bhat thereto.
Expressing their grave concern over the declining sex ratio in the state, the members cutting across party affiliations today urged the government to take serious steps so that the decreasing sex ratio could be improved.
Earlier, while moving the resolution, Choudhary Zulfikar said that the meance of female foeticide has led to the deteriorating female sex ratio in J&K and the affect could be felt in almost every district of the state as per Census-2011 statistical data as the number of females have drastically decreased as compared to their numbers in 2001 Census.
"The female sex ratio has reached to an alarming situation in Pulwama, Budgam, Kupwara, Ganderbal, Shopian, Kulgam, Rajouri, Poonch and Udhampur where the figures have come down considerably during the last decade," said MLA Zufikar.
"The menace of female foeticide has silently crept into the society particularly in urban areas where the people resort to sex determination tests through Ultrasound clinics whereas the threat has less influence in rural areas where such facilities are not that easily available… It is a pity that ultrasound clinics which do not even have qualified technicians are carrying out such tests illegally… Government has given permission to set up Ultrasound Clinics which do not have the persons who possess technical know-how to perform such tests," he added.
While participating in the debate on Resolution, several members including PDP's Nizam-ud-Din Bhat, PDP's Dr Shafi Ahmed Wani, NC MLA Bimla Luthra, NC MLA Aga Syed Ruhulla and JSM MLA Ashwani Kumar Sharma spoke in its support and said that spirit of the Resolution is concerning the entire society, irrespective of caste, creed and colour.
The members cutting across party lines supported the Resolution in one voice and urged the government to pass it keeping in view the gravity of the situation and consensus of the House on this serious matter.
Winding up the discussion on the Resolution, Minister for Health and Medical Education, Taj Mohi-ud-Din said that though the Government has already taken several steps to curb the menace of female foeticide in the State, yet the Government welcomes suggestions of the Members to deal with this sensitive issue. He said Government has put in place effective mechanism to deal with people who indulge in illegal practices of sex determination and foeticide.
The Minister said several sops have been announced for the whistle blowers and many people are coming forward to give information on such activities. The trends of previous years have shown improvement in the sex ratio in the State with the measures initiated in this direction.
Later, the House adopted Private Members' Resolution regarding measures to check the menace of female foeticide in the State unanimously. |
