Sex determination rampant in J&K despite crackdown‏

Srinagar: A year after the Jammu and Kashmir government cracked down on sex determination centres, CNN-IBN has learnt that many of them have opened up again.In 2011, year when census figures had revealed the declining numbers of the girl child, the state government had come down heavily on the diagnostic centres suspected of conducting sex determination tests. A year later these clinics have started to open slowly prompting questions whether these clinic owners have been emboldened or the government has just become complacent.

More than 90 clinics were sealed when the census report suggested that sex ratio had skewed sharply from 941 to 859 per 1,000 males. In Leh, it was a dismal 583 girls to every 1,000 males.Kashmir private clinics association advisor Dr Shabir Ahmad said, "Some people got relief through the courts while other registered by paying money. There are some unregistered clinics functioning with the department's knowledge."

CNN-IBN went around and could see several clinics functioning and some were even working surreptitiously during late hours. Ironically, these clinics are in close proximity to the health department, which pleads ignorance.Health services director Saleem Rehman said, "If anyone tips us about sex selection being done at a clinic with credible proof, Rs 50,000 will be given to him and his identity won't be revealed. We will take strict action."Tough laws and strict monitoring along with government intervention can only check that the girl child does not go missing.