'Law to check female foeticide not implemented'

Law to prevent female foeticide is not being implemented in a proper manner, a senior Delhi government official claimed in New Delhi on Thursday.

"The law is not being implemented fully and until that happens, child sex ratio would be on a decline," Director of Census Operations (Delhi) Varsha Joshi said.

Joshi, who was addressing a media consultation on 'declining sex ratio and census 2011', said that government schemes are good but they alone can do nothing and a change in the mindset of people especially those living in rural areas, is required.

She also expressed distress over education not doing enough in controlling the decline.

"Literacy and education is not showing an impact where it matters the most and it is disturbing," she said.

Centre for Advocacy and Research Executive Director Akhila Sivadas blamed the official structure for not waking up to the problem of such a serious magnitude.

Alleging that there is a strong nexus between doctors and clinics, involved in sex determination, and politicians, an activist Sabu George said, "No one is willing to bell the cat as this is a lucrative business and it is all about money."

The panelists were unanimous in condemning the easy availability of technology and regretted the lax approach of the government in taking a serious note of the issue.