Gujarat govt trains collectors/district officials for Sting operation in sonography clinics



Gandhinagar, 7 May 2012

Gujarat Health Minister Shri Jaynarayan Vyas today opened a website www.betivadhaao.com in a bid to create online facility to receive complains on Pre-natal Diagnostic Techniques (Regulation and Prevention of Misuse) Act, 1994 in a two-day work shop on PC and PNDT act related issues, organized by Health department of state government.

The workshop provided training to various district collectors, DDOs, district level health officials for doing sting operation against female foeticide, registering case against culprits, monitoring and inspection of sonography clinics, identifying guilty doctors through analysis of form-F etc.

The Pre-natal Diagnostic Techniques (Regulation and Prevention of Misuse) Act, 1994, was enacted and brought into operation from 1st January, 1996, in order to check female foeticide. Rules have also been framed under the Act. The Act prohibits determination and disclosure of the sex of foetus . It also prohibits any advertisements relating to pre-natal determination of sex and prescribes punishment for its contravention. The person who contravenes the provisions of this Act is punishable with imprisonment and fine.

Recently, PNDT Act and Rules have been amended keeping in view the emerging technologies for selection of sex before and after conception and problems faced in the working of implementation of the ACT and certain directions of Hon’ble Supreme Court after a PIL was filed in May, 2000 by CEHAT and Ors, an NGO on slow implementation of the Act. These amendments have come into operation with effect from 14th February, 2003.