3 ultrasound centres sealed after high-level team carries out raids

Hardwar, July 20 (UNI) Three ultra-sound and scan centres here were sealed and their licences suspended after raids, conducted by a high-level team, discovered ''irregularities in their records.'' Sai Diagnostic Centre, Hardwar Scan Centre and the City Hospital Diagnostic Centre have been sealed and their licences suspended, after a high-level team of the Special cell of the Union Health ministry, comprising the director of the PNDT committee of the ministry Dr Ratan Chandra, the joint director in the central Ministry of Women&Child Development Dr Nandita Misra and the Addl Legal Advisor in the Law Department of the Union Law and Justice Ministry M K Sharma, assisted by the Joint Director of the state Health department S P Kandwal, member of the state PNDT committee Rakesh Bahuguna, the CMO Hardwar Dr R S Puri and member of the local PNDT committee Naresh Chaudhry conducted sudden raids on the ultra-sound centres of the district. The raids continued till late last evening.

''The PNDT committee of the district will initiate action to cancel their licences and take further legal action against them, if they fail to provide satisfactory explanation of the irregularities committed by them,'' Dr Puri said.

Expressing grave concern at the growing imbalance in the sex ratio in the state, the chairperson of the State Women Commission, Dr Santosh Chauhan welcomed the crackdown on the ultra-sound and scan centres by the team and warned all the doctors of the state of stringent action if they indulged in the criminal practice of prenatal sex determination tests.

UNI XC VD RK1718