Nizamabad, August 18 (Gatla News): Collector Bhavesh Mishra has directed officials to crack down heavily on scanning centers that conduct sex determination tests to reveal the gender of the unborn child. He termed the act of aborting a fetus after determining it to be female as an unforgivable crime and a deeply regrettable practice. He stated that those involved in such activities should not be spared and that action must be taken against the responsible parties under the MTP (Medical Termination of Pregnancy) Act. A meeting of the district-level advisory committee on the Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PCPNDT) Act was held on Tuesday at the Integrated District Offices Complex, presided over by the Collector. During the meeting, the Collector inquired about the measures being taken to curb sex determination tests and reviewed the relevant reports. He expressed dissatisfaction with the committee’s performance, noting that it fell short of expectations. He emphasized that the committee should not merely hold meetings and pass resolutions for the sake of formality; instead, strict field-level surveillance must be maintained over scanning centers conducting these tests. He remarked that a significant disparity in the male-female birth ratio would lead to the suspicion that sex determination tests and female foeticides are taking place. The Collector observed that this type of disparity is predominantly visible in cities and urban areas, indicating that sex determination and female foeticide are taking place covertly. He suggested that if concerned officials maintain strict surveillance at the field level, there would be no scope for such inhumane incidents. He remarked that even the strictest laws are futile if not implemented effectively. With this in mind, the Collector ordered strict monitoring to prevent sex determination and female foeticide anywhere in the district, directing that cases be registered against violators and scanning centers be seized. He instructed that details of pregnant women be meticulously recorded from the time of conception and that the outcomes of these pregnancies be tracked. He stated that a thorough examination of cases where pregnancy did not result in delivery could help identify instances of sex determination and abortion, thereby enabling action against the scanning centers involved. He ordered that licenses be renewed only for scanning centers that strictly adhere to regulations. The Collector noted that violations of the PCPNDT and MTP Acts are leading to a significant decline in the sex ratio within society. He emphasized the need to create widespread public awareness that all children—whether male or female—are equal. Additional Collector V. Bhujanga Rao, Armoor Sub-Collector Abhigyan Malviya, Trainee Collector Suresh, District Medical and Health Officer Dr. Rajashree, committee members S. Siddaiah and B. Anjaneyulu, and medical officers participated in this meeting.
A meeting of the district-level advisory committee on the Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PCPNDT) Act was held on Tuesday at the Integrated District Offices Complex, presided over by the Collector. During the meeting, the Collector inquired about the measures being taken to curb sex determination tests and reviewed the relevant reports. He expressed dissatisfaction with the committee’s performance, noting that it fell short of expectations. He emphasized that the committee should not merely hold meetings and pass resolutions for the sake of formality; instead, strict field-level surveillance must be maintained over scanning centers conducting these tests. He remarked that a
significant disparity in the male-female birth ratio would lead to the suspicion that sex determination tests and female foeticides are taking place. The Collector observed that this type of disparity is predominantly visible in cities and urban areas, indicating that sex determination and female foeticide are taking place covertly. He suggested that if concerned officials maintain strict surveillance at the field level, there would be no scope for such inhumane incidents. He remarked that even the strictest laws are futile if not implemented effectively. With this in mind, the Collector ordered strict monitoring to prevent sex determination and female foeticide anywhere in the district, directing that cases be registered against violators and scanning centers be seized. He instructed that details of pregnant women be meticulously recorded from the time of conception and that the outcomes of these pregnancies be tracked. He stated that a thorough examination of cases where pregnancy did not result in delivery could help identify instances of sex determination and abortion, thereby enabling action against the scanning centers involved. He ordered that licenses be renewed only for scanning centers that strictly adhere to regulations. The Collector noted that violations of the PCPNDT and MTP Acts are leading to a significant decline in the sex ratio within society. He emphasized the need to create widespread public awareness that all children—whether male or female—are equal. Additional Collector V. Bhujanga Rao, Armoor Sub-Collector Abhigyan Malviya, Trainee Collector Suresh, District Medical and Health Officer Dr. Rajashree, committee members S. Siddaiah and B. Anjaneyulu, and medical officers participated in this meeting.
