Authorities to keep a tab on sex determination tests

Warangal: Warangal Urban District Collector Prashanth Jeevan Patil on Monday cracked whip on officials concerned to go tough on hospitals and diagnostic centres that were resorting to pre-natal sex determination tests, violating the Pre Conception Pre Natal Determination Techniques (Prohibition of Sex Selection) Act, 1994 (PCPNDT).

The Collector who chaired the District Level Task Force meeting here on Monday reviewed the implementation of Beti Bachao Beti Padhao programme.

Surprised over learning that there was not even a single case was booked under the PCPNDT Act in Urban District, the Collector instructed the DM&HO to conduct decoy operations to expose foetal sex determination being clandestinely carried by clinics and diagnostic centres.

"At least one case the officials need to book by the end of August," the Collector said, stating that it works as a stern warning to those institutions continuing pre natal sex-determination illegally.

The Collector emphasised the need for conducting awareness campaigns about Childline 1098 Service, the country's first toll-free helpline for street children in distress, and 104 Services that offer medical health support services (MHSS).

"The officials need to display the data (January 1, 2018 to June 2019) of 'boy to girl birth ratio' in gram panchayats and health centres," Patil said.

He also directed the officials to collect the data of couple which opted for family planning even though their two children are female.

These girls should be enrolled in the Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana (SSY), a government-backed savings scheme as part of the Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao Yojana for the benefit of the girl child.

The Collector also emphasised the need for organising self-defence training, and counselling programmes for the girls studying in Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas (KGBVs).

He told the officials to establish Balika Manch, aimed at putting an end to domestic violence and also providing a secure environment to the school-going girls, in KGBV, Model and 68 high schools in the district. The Collector also told the officials to initiate measures to stop child marriages.