Sex determination illegal and a crime: Sub Collector Chahat Bajpai

Kurnool: The Nandyal Sub Collector, Chahat Bajpai said that sex determination is illegal and it is a crime. She warned that serious action will be taken on the organisers of scanning centres that secretly do sex determination.

The Sub Collector reviewed a meeting on Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques Act (PCPNDT) with the officials concerned at her chamber on Wednesday.

The Sub Collector said that it is the responsibility of every citizen to put a full stop to foeticides. It is learnt that foeticides are taking place due to determination of sex at the scanning centres. Some scanning centre organisers are known to be conducting sex determination which is illegal, and highly punishable, said Chahat Bajpai.

Under any circumstances sex determination should not be done at any of the scanning centres. If anyone is detected to be doing sex determination then they are liable to face consequences. She appealed to the people to bring the notice to the District Medical and Health Office (DMHO) officials about the centre that are doing sex determination.

She assured to keep the informant's name under the oath of secrecy. The informer would be given a good reward. She enquired on the number of scanning centres functioning in the constituency, and applied for new registrations, renewal, number of staff, address of the scanning centres, machinery and equipment installed in the centres and others.

The Medical and Health department officials responding to the Sub Collector said that, there are 52 scanning centres functioning in Nandyal division. She ordered the organisers to get renewed of their scanning centre within a month; else they would be taken into task.

Nandyal DSP, M Chidananda Reddy, Deputy District Medical and Health Officer (DMHO), Dr Anki Reddy, legal advisor, Sumalatha, district extension mass media officer, Raghuram, gynaecologist, Dr Anuradha, paediatrician, O Lalitha, health educator, Yerram Reddy , Prakash Raj and others were present in the meeting.