M A I N   N E W S

Just 13 persons convicted under PNDT Act in 2010
While Haryana, Punjab, Maharashtra and Delhi have some convictions to their credit, the remaining states and UTs have drawn a complete blank
Vibha Sharma/TNS

New Delhi, August 3
The continued preference for boys saw the child sex ratio in India dropping to 914 females against 1,000 males, the lowest since Independence, in the provisional 2011 Census report released in March this year. Now, the data released by the government in Parliament yesterday gives a shocking insight into how the country, including the rogue states of Haryana, Punjab and Delhi, continue with its lackadaisical approach in the implementation of the “strengthened” Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PC&PNDT) Act.

Believe it or not, just 13 cases of conviction under the PNDT Act were reported in 2010 exposing the complete failure of all state governments in effective implementation of the law to prevent the killing of unborn daughters while also bringing related schemes under the scanner.

Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, in response to a query by Rajya Sabha member HK Dua on Tuesday, released details of convictions under the Act in the entire country, a shocking admission of how majority of culprits of the unborn girl child continue to get away scot-free.

While Haryana, Punjab, Maharashtra and Delhi have some convictions to their credit, the remaining states and UTs of the country have drawn a complete blank. Seven convictions have been reported in Punjab, three in Haryana, two in Maharashtra and one in Delhi.

Officials admit that it would be absurd to even think that only these many cases of sex detection took place last year, meaning that the majority of culprits got away despite the PNDT Act enacted and further amended in 2003 with the objective of prohibiting sex selection before or after conception, regulation of pre-natal diagnostic techniques and prevention of their misuse for sex determination leading to female foeticide.

Under the Act, appropriate authorities are empowered for implementation of the Act at state, district and sub-district level.

Azad said recent initiatives undertaken by the government to strengthen effective implementation of the Act include amendment of Rule 11 (2) of the PC and PNDT Rules, 1996, which provide for confiscation of unregistered machines and further punishment to organisations which fail to register themselves under the Act.

The National Inspection and Monitoring Committee had been further empowered to oversee follow-up action against organisations found guilty of violations under the Act during inspections, he said.

States had been asked during appraisal of the annual Programme Implementation Plan (PIP) to take advantage of funding available under the NRHM for strengthening infrastructure and augmentation of human resources required for effective implementation of the Act, he added.