JK govt to strengthen PCPNDT Act

"The government has decided to add teeth to the existing PCPNDT Act by making certain amendments in the existing rules to incorporate the provision of three years imprisonment and fine up to Rs 50,000 on the person found running unregistered clinics," an official spokesman said.

A person found running unregistered ultra sound clinic can face one year imprisonment and fine up to Rs 20,000 under the Pre-Conception & Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques Act in its current form.

An amendment to include confiscation of equipments of unregistered Ultra Sound Clinics was also considered at a meeting of the Jammu and Kashmir State Supervisory Board for PCPNDT Act, with the Minister for Health, Sham Lal Sharma in the chair.

The meeting endorsed the recommendation to introduce medical audit, including scrutiny of records of pre-conception or pregnancy related procedures to curb the misuse of medical technology for sex-selection, in the Ultrasound clinics, to ensure proper monitoring of such clinics under the Act.

The appropriate authorities at Divisional and District levels under PC&PNDT Act would conduct regular audit, he said.

He said efforts of the government alone were not adequate to deal with this sensitive issue and there was a need to increase awareness among the people.

The Minister asked both the Divisional Commissioners of Kashmir and Jammu to approach the religious leaders of the state to help in creating awareness.

He also stressed on wide publicity of the programmes being implemented in the State under National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) through various means.