Jammu, June 1: Jammu and Kashmir government has constituted a Divisional Advisory Committee on Pre-Natal Diagnostic Technique (PNDT) Act to keep a close watch on the functioning of ultrasound clinics and genetic centres and to discourage the pre-natal determination of sex, an official spokesman said.
  He said in an ongoing campaign against female foeticide, the members of Divisional Advisory Committee would be empowered to conduct raids at the diagnostic centers to ensure implementation of the Act in the region.
 “The Committee has been constituted to advise suggestions and recommendations for better implementation of the Act. The PNDT Act has been formulated after taking a serious view of the onslaught of the sex-selective discriminatory practices by the medical fraternity,” he said.
 “Director Health Services has been designated as the appropriate authority for implementation of the PNDT Act.”
 He said the meeting of the Advisory Committee was held here this afternoon under the chairmanship of Director Health Services, Jammu, Dr Ashok Sharma.
 “The committee unanimously decided that all the ultrasound clinics will be provided with a list of DAC members who can visit any clinic at any time for inspection and record shortfalls for presentation to the appropriate authority,". he said.
 The committee also decided that it shall hold periodical meetings and clear the pending registration cases of the ultrasound clinics within a specified time frame under the Act,” the spokesman added.
 The committee also decided to conduct on the spot inspection of the Ultra Sound Clinics to check whether these are functioning as per the guidelines of the Act.

` 25,000 for tip-off
Srinagar, June 1: Jammu and Kashmir government today announced a reward of Rs 25,000 for anyone providing a tip-off about sex determination test in its bid to curb female foeticide.
 "Anybody informing about the malpractice of sex determination will be provided reward of Rs 25,000," an official spokesman said.
 The decision was taken at a high-level meeting attended by Chairperson of State Commission for Women Shamima Fidous, Director (Health) Saleem-ur-
 Rehman and other health department officials here, he said.
 The meeting discussed the consequences of the female foeticide trend in the society and it was decided that awareness programmes would be held to educate people about the disastrous impact of declining sex ratio.
 They also called for strict implementation of Pre- Natal Diagnostic Techniques (Regulation and Prevention of Misuse) Act.

Lastupdate on : Wed, 1 Jun 2011 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Wed, 1 Jun 2011 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Thu, 2 Jun 2011 00:00:00 IST