Monday’s  review meeting on Pre-Conception & Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (Prohibition of Sex Selection) Act, 1994 at Naharlagun carries overarching significance for Arunachal Pradesh since its  child sex ratio, in certain pockets has seen a  decline as suggested by 2018-19 figures. Even with the clamour for saving the girl child and incessant flow of awareness campaigns thereto, it is a fact that various routes of discrimination exist in the country which is also a cause of extreme disrepute and downgrade of status as a progressive nation. The fact is, like in any other case, there are  laws  meant for protection of the girl  child too, but the tendency  of escaping its ambit is still a headache since the deep-rooted ‘partisan’ culture that had developed since centuries in this  male-dominated milieu is always a hard nut to crack. Female foeticide, is an alarmingly common practice in India,  even at this juncture when it is on the threshold of becoming a space superpower and dreams to become a 5 trillion dollar economy. The national  census of the last few editions have shown that  sex ratio is on the decline which is a cause of real concern. If it’s the same case for Arunachal, even if in few districts, it means that time has come to wake up and initiate prompt  reformatory process since it’s a cause where negligence will  always be counted as a crime.

Pre–Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PNDT) Act of 1994, was the maiden attempt  to  prohibit sex selection and regulation of  prenatal diagnostic techniques to prevent their misuse. But  following the initial implementation of the Act and after noticing a further decline in the 2001 census Child Sex Ratio(CSR),  passage of an amendment, the Pre–Conception and Pre–Natal Diagnostic  Techniques (PCPNDT) Act of 2003 was passed. But records will show that this too had proved to be inadequate to contain this most illegal practice as the last census report which was released in 2011 shows that  the trend of decline in CSR which means  number of girls per 1000 of boys between 0-6 years of age, has dropped  further to 918.  This only points out that challenges  are still  proving stiff  and  more stricter  implementation of this social legislation is the  immediate necessity. Without this, women empowerment will  remain a distant dream for ever.

‘Beti Bachao Beti Padao’  initiative  is currently active and  in Arunachal, Dibang Valley district has been chosen to rectify the  sudden  decline in its CSR. Not only this one, it must be ensured that zero tolerance is shown to female foeticide in each and every corner of the state, however remote. Acts, flagship programmes are all fine, but will carry no meaning if not resolutely implemented.

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Kenter Joya Riba

(Managing Editor)
      She is a graduate in Science with post graduation in Sociology from University of Pune. She has been in the media industry for nearly a decade. Before turning to print business, she has been associated with radio and television.
Email: kenterjoyaz@easternsentinel.in / editoreasternsentinel@gmail.com
Phone: 0360-2212313

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