Sex ratio fall: Rajasthan steps up raids on clinics

Jaipur: Alarmed over the state's skewed sex ratio, the Rajasthan government has planned more steps to curb pre-natal sex determination tests at ultrasound clinics here.

The steps include increasing the number of health department inspection teams and equipping them with devices like hidden cameras and voice recorders to keep an eye on these clinics, an official said Friday.

These devices will help the health department teams which have exclusive responsibilities to raid clinics offering ultrasound scanning services and look for evidence of pre-natal sex determination tests, the officer added.

The state government has also increased the amount of money given to a person who complains about errant ultrasound
clinics.

"Earlier, the award money was Rs.1,000, but from now on if the complaint is found true, the complainant will get a Rs. 5,000 reward," said the officer.

According to the figures released by the Census 2011, Rajasthan has 883 girls between the ages of 0 to 6 for every 1,000 boys in the same age group. The child sex ratio in 2001 was 909.

"It is a very alarming situation and more vigilant steps are needed to rectify the situation," a senior heath department official told IANS.

He added that there was only one state-level health department team which used to check the records at ultrasound clinics and act on the complaints of pre-natal sex determination tests.

"But we have decided to increase them to four and equip them with hidden cameras and voice recorders," said the officer.

He said legal action is taken against errant clinics under the Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques Act (PCPNDT Act). But, according to him, proving them guilty under the Act is generally difficult.

"These teams will record everything using these devices while an inspection is carried out. The evidence gathered by using these devices will help us prosecute these clinics properly," said the officer.

(Anil Sharma can be contacted at anil.s@ians.in)
 

                                           Home | Top of the Page

Top Stories

BJP is misleading the nation on anti-violence bill: Congress

The Congress Friday accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of "misleading the nation" on the proposed legislation on communal violence prevention, saying  »

Communal violence prevention bill to be taken ahead: Sibal

Communal Violence Bill may be misused: BJP

  Most Read

Manmohan invokes NAM, questions West's control of IMF

With Western powers not willing to loosen their grip over key global institutions like the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Saturday invoked the Non-Aligned  »

Yemeni government, armed tribesmen agree on ceasefire

Yemeni government and armed tribesmen, led by the opposition tribal chieftain Sheikh Sadiq al-Ahmar, have reached a temporary truce to end pitched battles in the capital where at least 127 people have been killed, Xinhua quoted tribal mediators as saying. The agreement includes  »

  News Pick

Palestinian's national unity government likely in ten days: official

A senior Palestinian official in Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah party has said that the national unity government is to be formed in ten days, Xinhua reported. »

Abbas would give up US aid for Palestinian unity, says aide

Gujarat villagers vow to oppose Bhavnagar nuclear plant

Village council members of over 50 coastal villages in Gujarat's Bhavnagar district Friday took a pledge to oppose the proposed 6,000 MW nuclear power project at Mithi Virdi, saying they would not allow the government   »

Omar asks separatists: Where are you during winter?

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah Friday questioned the motive of Kashmiri separatists in getting restive more during summers. Ahead of radical Hurriyat leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani's participation in Friday prayers at  »

Building 'bridges of friendship' in Tanzania, the Indian way

Paying tribute to the achievements of around 40,000 persons of Indian origin and Indian businessmen in Tanzania, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh lauded  »

Heart-to-heart: Apollo to open hospital in Tanzania

Bihar offers land for AMU centre

The Bihar government has offered 250 acres of contiguous land for an Aligharh Muslim University (AMU) centre, becoming the fourth such state after Kerala, West Bengal and Maharashtra. The Bihar government has identified the land in Kishanganj district, along the  »

Picture of the Day

The Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh addressing the Joint Session of Ethiopian Parliament, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on May 26, 2011.