States not keen on curbing pre-natal sex selection: NIMC

NIMC is a monitoring wing of the Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (regulation and prevention of misuse, (PCPNDT) Act 1994.

"In 2011-12, 35 clinics across the state of Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, Haryana, Delhi and Uttarakhand were sealed by the NIMC on having found to have violated PCPNDT act. However, only 19 cases were taken up to court and none convicted so far," Varsha Deshpande, a member of NIMC told reporters.

NIMC writes to the district magistrate or local administration about the sealing of the clinic when found guilty. After that it is the duty of the authority to take the case forward. It is an offence if the local authority doesn't carry on from there," added Deshpande.

"We have faced many obstructions while conducting our inspections, including detentions, the local authorities in a way help the culprits to get away in many states. In Hardoi and Meerut in Uttar Pradesh and Ranchi in Jharkhand there have been major disruptions by vested interests groups," said Dr Sabu George of NIMC.

The PCPNDT Act, has been enacted to curb widespread unethical practice by medical profession in misuse and promotion of prenatal diagnostic techniques like ultrasound for sex selection leading to female foeticide.

The statutory body calls for checking of illegally supplied ultrasound machines, and route it mandatorily through the state health ministry as done by Maharashtra.

It also pitched for mandatory meetings of district advisory committee every 60 days. Obligatory submission of F-forms - submitted by all registered clinics by the 5th of every month for evaluation of records, as laid down in the law.