www.expressindia.com - Weather | Horoscope | Stocks | RSS
expressindia web city
HomeBlogsCricketAstrology TendersClassifieds Reader Comments Hotels
Sign In / Register | Archive
Expressindia » Story

In Pimpri, female foeticide grows; sonography clinics under scanner

Font Size

MANOJ MORE

Posted: Feb 11, 2008 at 2304 hrs IST

Pune, February 10 With female foeticide showing no signs of abating, the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation has decided to turn its gaze on sonography clinics operating in the industrial township. At a meeting held at PCMC headquarters last week, senior PCMC health officials decided to launch a crackdown on sonography clinics following complaints of violation of the Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Technique (Misuse) Act, 1994.

Although the health department is not officially revealing its plan as of now, officials said decoy customers would be sent to find out the truth about the activities in the sonography clinics. "Decoy customers are being readied to bring forth the reality in the working of these clinics," officials said. When contacted, PCMC health director Dr Rajshekhar Iyer however said getting a decoy customer is a task in itself. "Pregnant women generally loath the idea of getting involved in any such work. Nothing has been finalised yet, but we might seek the help of women's self-helps."

In all, there are 86 sonography clinics which mushrooomed from 2001. So far, PCMC has filed a case against one sonography centre. The matter is sub judice. Health officials said complaints have been received that many of them indulge in revealing sex of the foetus for amount ranging from Rs 5,000 to Rs 10,000. "A female child becomes victims of such tests."

Dr Iyer said a number of steps are being initiated to bring about a turnaround in the child sex ratio in town. "Instead of annual meetings with those who run sonography clinics, we will be holding regular meetings to drive home the point," he said. The health department has also decided to launch an advertisement campaign to save the girl child. "We have already put up posters highlighting the need to save the girl child," he said, adding that the campaign would now move to main streets and chowks in town. "Instead of roping in star campaigners, we will use local residents to highlight the point," he said.

Dr Kamal Yadav, in-charge of PCMC's National Health Programmes, said there was no doubt that female foeticide was taking place on large-scale in town. "But we are not able to know when and where these are taking place," she said. Dr Yadav said for every 1000 male children, there are 917 female children in Maharashtra. And in the country, the female-male ratio is 927 to 1000. But, in Pimpri-Chinchwad the situation is worse.

"In 2007, the child sex ratio has been 859.8 females to 1000 males," she said. Over the years, there has been little improvement in the situation (see box). "Last year, 36 sonography clinics were issued notices for not keeping records and registers properly. This year, the drive will be intensified."

Discuss this story on expressindia forums
Post Comments
Name* Email ID*
Subject* Country*
Message*
Characters remaining
 
TERMS OF USE: The views, opinions and comments posted are your, and are not endorsed by this website. You shall be solely responsible for the comment posted here. The website reserves the right to delete, reject, or otherwise remove any views, opinions and comments posted or part thereof. You shall ensure that the comment is not inflammatory, abusive, derogatory, defamatory &/or obscene, or contain pornographic matter and/or does not constitute hate mail, or violate privacy of any person (s) or breach confidentiality or otherwise is illegal, immoral or contrary to public policy. Nor should it contain anything infringing copyright &/or intellectual property rights of any person(s).
I agree to the terms of use.

Latest News

Business

Showbiz

Sports

Ex-Oz pacer Rodney Hogg posts anti-Muslim slur on Twitter

Hunt on for man who raped teen, brutally bashed two-year-old girl

Anna Hazare voted Mumbai's 'hero'

Pune bus driver to face probe for any ‘terror links’

Vikram Seth: Salman Rushdie row misuse of religion, power

US does it again, TV channel calls Hindu deities 'weird'

NYPD commissioner's son Greg Kelly accused of rape

More
© 2011 The Indian Express Limited. All rights reserved
Advertise With Us | Privacy Policy | Feedback | Express Group | Site Map