CPM leader Brinda Karat requests Health Minister to withdraw suspension of rules of PCPNDT Act

CPM leader Brinda Karat on Tuesday wrote a letter to the Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Harsh Vardhan demanding the withdrawal of the suspension of certain rules of the Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PCPNDT) Act.

Brinda Karat wrote: "The suspension of Clause 9(8) in the Rules concerning the PCPNDT Act is of particular concern. This Rule reads: Every Genetic Counselling Centre, Genetic Laboratory, Genetic Clinic, Ultrasound Clinic and Imaging Centre shall send a complete report in respect of all pre-conception or pregnancy-related procedures/techniques/tests conducted by them in respect of each month by 5th day of the following month to the concerned Appropriate Authority."

"Suspending the rule itself means that the clinic need not produce any records till June 30. This could be misused by unscrupulous sections to conduct sex determination tests freely. You will appreciate my concern that the suspension of the Rule may lead to sabotage of the law under the guise of the situation created by COVID-19," she added.

She further wrote: "Since the lockdown is for a period declared by the Government to end on April 14, why is the suspension extended two months and a half months beyond the officially declared lockdown period of three weeks, to June 30? This also causes concern."

"The situation regarding skewed sex ratios continues to be very serious. India cannot afford any dilution or weakening of the implementation of the law. Let not the COVID-19 crisis become a cover for this. I request you to withdraw the suspension of the Rules," she concluded.