Auto drivers' help sought to check sex-determination tests

To strengthen the "Beti Bachao - Beti Padhao" drive, authorities here have decided to seek the help of the thousands of auto-rickshaw drivers to check sex-determination tests, an official said on Monday.

The auto-rickshaw drivers may prove a rich source of information while ferrying pregnant women to clinics, the official added.

Speaking at a meeting here of Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques Act (PC-PNDT) nodal officers from Haryana, Punjab, Delhi and Rajasthan, Gurgaon district commissioner T.L. Satyaprakash said the state has been working on 'zero tolerance' basis against sex determination tests.

Satyaprakash said 12,000 auto-rickshaw drivers will be asked to share information regarding women going for sex determination test while being ferried in their autos.

Drivers giving a positive information will be awarded, he said.

The official also sought help and cooperation from nodal officer from Delhi, Punjab and Rajasthan to curb such tests.

On the occasion, G.L. Singhal, project coordinator of "Beti Bachao - Beti Padhao" mission at the Haryana Chief Minister's office said the state has noticed increase in the sex ratio -- now female ratio is 889 against 1,000 men. It was 879 in the 2011 census report.

Haryana has the dubious distinction of having the worst male-female ratio among all states while Kerala fares the best.