“We will soon take a decision on appointing the staff for the cell,” he added. Speaking at the inauguration of round table conference on female foeticide in the City, on Wednesday, Mr Ashok said sex ratio is “alarming” in Karnataka.
He alleged that many doctors and staff of ultra-sound scanning centres are responsible for  the increase in female foeticide cases.
Only 927 females
Out of 1,000 males there are only 927 females. There are about 2,361 ultra-sound scanning centres across the State. “Many of these centres are involved in female foeticide. So far, only 34 cases of female foeticide have been detected and the accused are in court”, he said.
The conference was organised by Karnataka State Women’s Commission and Sri Jain Shwethambar Terapanth Mahila Mandal. He also said  lack of sufficient evidence and unwillingness of witnesses to tell the truth have prompted the perpetrators of the crime to escape the punishment under Pre Conception and Pre Natal Diagnostic Techniques Act (PC&PNDT Act) 1994.
Karnataka State Human Rights Commission President Justice S R Nayak blamed the women and said, it is disappointing to know that women themselves are responsible for killing female babies before the birth.
Mother’s consent
“No man can indulge in female foeticide without the  mother’s consent. Women should take an oath that they will not allow female foetus to be killed,” he added.
Minister of Women and Child Welfare H K Kumaraswamy said cases of female foeticide are more among the educated class than the uneducated sections.
“No poor woman in a village or slum would think of killing her baby. But, in the cities it is rampant”, he said.
PROTEST
The State Women’s Commission had to face the wrath of activists, when it circulated a flier asking women to take an oath against female foeticide. It read that “A woman has become the crusader of women community by indulging in female foeticide”.
Ms Vimala of Janavadi Mahila Sanghatane, K S Lakshmi of CPI and others took serious exception to the content of the note. Ms Vimala said that women are independent to take any decision. Many times they are forced to indulge in female foeticide by family members. But, the pamphlet circulated blames only women for the crime. The Commission should withdraw the pamphlet, she demanded. Karnataka State Women’s Commission President Pramila Nesargi said that she would correct the mistake in the pamphlet.