World's 7 billionth baby expected Monday in Indian village

Oct 30, 2011, 11:17 GMT

New Delhi - At least two villages in India's most populous state of Uttar Pradesh are preparing to celebrate Monday the arrival of the world's 7 billionth baby, media reported.

The United Nations recently declared that the world's population would touch 7 billion on October 31, although the exact moment or place where the child would be born could not be pinpointed.

This has not deterred non-profit organizations working on maternal health and children's issues from choosing their own prospective 7 billionth child in villages in Uttar Pradesh, the Calcutta-based Telegraph newspaper reported.

A primary health centre in Sunhaida village has predicted the baby will be born to 25-year-old Pinky Pawar, wife of a local shopkeeper. Celebrations are planned Monday with sweets and fireworks ready for the new arrival.

Approximately 11 children are born every minute in the state. Yet the practice of aborting female foetuses has skewed Uttar Pradesh's male-to-female ratio, which stands at 1000 boys to 898 girls.

To draw attention to India's seven million 'missing' girls, Britain-based children's welfare group Plan has started a countdown for the birth of the 7 billionth baby in Mal village near the capital of Uttar Pradesh, Lucknow.

Plan has chosen seven women expected to give birth on Monday. The first newborn girl is to be declared the 7 billionth baby, Bhagyashri Dengle, executive director of Plan India, told local media.

Another group working on child welfare, Vatsalya, is arranging for 250 expectant mothers to deliver at a community hall on the outskirts of Lucknow. The first baby to be born during that event on Monday is to be declared baby number 7 billion.

Organizers for both Plan and Vatsalya say the events are meant to draw attention to the fact that many baby girls are aborted.

Indian Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad said Saturday that the birth of the 7 billionth baby was an occasion for worry rather than celebration.

'It's not a matter of joy but a great worry. We shouldn't be celebrating the birth of the 7 billionth child,' the Times of India newspaper quoted Azad as saying.

'India has 2.4 per cent of the global landmass and around 18 per cent of the global population. For us, a matter of joy will be when our population stabilizes,' Azad said.

According to UN projections, the population of India is expected to touch 1.5 billion - and supercede that of China - by 2025. India's current population is estimated to be 1.2 billion.