The government alone cannot prevent the practice of sex selection, sex determination and need support from every walk of life to fight the issue, a medical official said at the one-day media sensitization on PC and PNDT Act in Imphal Monday.
"Anyone can lodge a report to women’s helpline number 181 if they come across cases of female foeticide... Denying a girl child her rights to live is one of the heinous crimes committed by society," state nodal officer of Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Technique PC and PNDT, Dr Sujata said at the event, which was organised by the Directorate of Family Welfare, Manipur.
Expressing concern over India's declining sex ratio of girl child, particularly the age group of 0-six years, she said that the PC and PNDT (regulation and preventive measures) was passed by the Indian Parliament on September 20, 1994 and brought into operation from January 1, 1996 in an effort to curb female foeticide.
The Act was amended in 2003 to ban use of sex selection techniques as well as misuse of PNDT technique for sex selective abortions, she added.
Dr Sujata said that PC and PNDT Cell under the state Directorate of Family Welfare Services has been taking up various activities to prevent the practice of sex determination and sex selection.
The cell has been conducting regular inspection of ultrasound clinics or hospitals, checking the registration of ultrasound clinics, organising sensitization workshops for NGOs, women organisations, gynaecologist or doctors, police personnel, public prosecutors and advocates.
She mentioned that the sex ratio of Manipur for the year 2021 to 2022 is 965 female per 1,000 male as per the health management information system.
"Any person who violates the provisions of PC and PNDT Act shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may be extended up to three years and with a fine (which may extend up to Rs 50,000 for first offence). For subsequent offence, the fine is Rs 1 lakh and imprisonment for a term of five years," she informed.
The programme was also attended by director of Family Welfare, Dihe Mao and additional director of Family Welfare, Dr O Sanahanbi.
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