Droughts claims many casualties. Among the first claimed by the one in Andhra Pradesh are baby girls.

In the Nalgonda district, several newborn baby girls have landed at the General Hospital, because their biological mothers gave them away. Apparently conditions made worse by this year's drought made each of these little mouths one too many to feed.

Three such unwanted baby girls were given within just 10 days of India's 63rd birthday.

Activists say the rush of arrivals at the Shishu Vihar in Nalgonda increased in September as a direct fallout of drought. The dumped newborns are all baby girls.

"They (the parents) say they aren't not able to take care of baby girls because of the drought. So they want to give them away. But baby boys don't get abandoned like this," says Pramila, a local activist.

Ironically, the government's cradle scheme  - launched to prevent unwanted baby girls frombeing killed or sold - is unwittingly being used to choose the gender of the child. Erratic and poor rainfall has only made inhuman choices seem more pragmatic.

"There are already four children. She is the fifth one. We can't afford to feed them or clothe them. The government has started this scheme. So put her in the cradle and the government will look after her," says one such mother.