Srikalahasti records alarming fall in girl births

Tirupati: The birth ratio of girl children in Srikalahasti has plunged to a disturbing low, with just 629 girls born for every 1,000 boys over the past three months. The sharp fall, well below the district average of 901, has raised alarm among health officials and the district administration, who fear that the imbalance could worsen if immediate corrective action is not taken.

Taking serious note of the situation, District Collector Dr S Venkateswar convened a meeting of the District Multi-Member Advisory Committee and declared zero tolerance towards violations of the Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PCPNDT) Act. The Act prohibits prenatal sex determination, and the Collector warned that any scanning centre, doctor, or nursing home found flouting the law would face strict legal consequences, including cancellation of licences and criminal prosecution.

To address the crisis, Dr Venkateswar questioned officials on the reasons behind the declining birth ratio of girl children and pressed them on what measures had been taken so far to curb the trend.

He instructed District Medical and Health Officer Dr V Balakrishna Naik to form a special committee to inspect both government and private hospitals in Srikalahasti. The committee has been asked to submit a comprehensive report within four weeks. He also directed that surveillance of scanning centres be tightened, stressing that those who fail to maintain proper registrations and records will face licence cancellation and criminal cases.

The Collector reminded that the PCPNDT Act prescribes three years’ imprisonment and a fine of Rs 10,000 for the first offence, while repeat violations attract harsher penalties. “Protecting girl child births and curbing gender discrimination is the collective responsibility of society,” he said, urging all stakeholders to act responsibly. In addition to strict enforcement, the administration is banking on awareness at the grassroots level to curb the practice. Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs) and Auxiliary Nurse Midwives (ANMs) have been tasked with educating pregnant women and their families about the dangers of gender bias. They have been instructed to emphasise that boys and girls hold equal value in creation and that prenatal sex determination is not only illegal but socially harmful.

Officials have also been told to step up awareness campaigns in rural areas to strengthen understanding of the PCPNDT Act and build wider support for its implementation. “Ending gender discrimination requires collective effort — from authorities, medical professionals, and society at large,” Dr Venkateswar said.