Foetal sex-determination being reported in rural areas: Minister

Bhopal, Feb 5 (UNI) In the absence of social awareness in rural areas, incidents of foetal sex-determination are being reported, Madhya Pradesh Public Health and Family Welfare Minister Ajay Vishnoi admitted today.

''Even today, there is lack of awareness in this regard in rural areas besides Bhind, Morena, Gwalior and Shivpuri districts. Strict action must be taken by the administration against institutes who indulge in sex-determination of the foetus,'' said Mr Vishnoi, while addressing a meeting of state supervisory board constituted under the Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PNDT) Act.

However, he claimed, there had been a reduction in the number of incidents of foetal sex-determination in urban area courtesy wide publicity of the provisions of the PNDT Act.

Assuring all possible assistance from the government and the district administration in identifying institutes indulging in the evil practice, he said supervisory board members were expected to inspect such institutes from time to time.

Inspections must be carried out at least once in 2-3 month in towns where large number of sonography machines were registered, whereas inspections in rural areas must be carried out every month.

Mr Vishnoi directed the officials to file case directly in the court against sonography centres so that guilty could be punished besides taking action against institutes who don't send their records in time.

Institutes registered under the PNDT Act must provide the records of examination of pregnant women to the Chief Medical and Health Officer every month.

He stressed that the Collectors and the CMOs must be aware of all the provisions of the PNDT Act and information must be provided to students, especially girls, in schools and colleges in this regard.

The meeting informed that 1,139 sonography machines -- 1,058 private and 81 government machines -- had been registered in the state so far.

In the past three months, inspections had been carried out at 197 institutes. So far, cases had been registered against 62 institutes for violating the PNDT Act and action was being taken against them.

UNI