Other States - Orissa   

Night-long vigil against foeticide

BHUBANESWAR: Expressing strong displeasure over the investigation that followed detection of dead female foetuses in Nayagarh and other parts of the state, members of several women’s organisations here on Tuesday went on to stay vigil on the preceding night of Independence Day celebration.

Over 200 women activists chose Master Canteen Square, just 100 metres away from the venue of state-level Independence Day celebration, as the place to put across their message loud and clear. The ’night-long vigil demonstration’ that began at about 6 pm on Tuesday would continue till 6 am on August 15.

"The recent ghastly discoveries in Nayagarh is only the tip of the iceberg, we know that such incidents are taking place in almost all the districts in Orissa. We feel the Government is going soft on the issue," Tapasi Praharaj of All India Democratic Women’s Association (AIDWA), said. Agreed Sneha Mishra of We Can campaign.

"It is strongly felt that the Government is totally callous and are pushing the blame from one department to another. No action seems to have been taken by departments and institutions set up for keeping eye on the heinous crime."

The women’s organisations said local child welfare committees, infant mortality mission, the State Council for Child Welfare, State Social Welfare Advisory Board, State appropriate authority under PNDT Act, State Commission for Women, State Human Rights Commission and Health and Family Welfare Department were silent on the issue.

The activists demanded that these organisations be made accountable for the incidents. They emphasised that the issue needed to be handled in a more holistic way and that needed aggressive multisectoral campaigning on the issue.

Prior to the 12 hour-vigil, four women’s organisations carried out a weeklong campaign all over the state from August 7 to August 14. Speakers expressed concern over declining child sex ratio in the state.

"Low sex ratio implies the failure of entitlements as well as personal circumstances or capabilities. The decline sex ratio also implies sex selective abortions and other anti-girl practices," they said.

They stressed on coordination among concerned departments and civil society on this matter. It should not be only health affair or women’s affair, they said.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

Panel decides Budhia needs counselling
Lift irrigation projects to be set up
A living legend of south Orissa
Podampeta villagers to be rehabilitated
Three killed in accident
Youth held on murder charge
An artistic touch to the occasion
Team visits Gopalpur coast
Night-long vigil against foeticide

Copyright © 2007, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu