Haryana forms task force to track PNDT Act violations, raids 3 clinics in Yamuna Nagar
As part of stepping up its vigil over any possible violation of PNDT Act, the Government of Haryana has set up a State Task Force to conduct surprise raids on centres having ultrasound machines. The Task force, in a recent raid carried out in the first week of July, sealed three such centres for alleged pre natal sex determination.
According to the members of the task force, they raided the clinic of Dr. Deepak Gupta at Radaur (Yamuna Nagar) on July 3rd and sealed the ultrasound machine after tracing some indiscriminating documents. On the same day, the team sealed another clinic, the City Hospital Radaur, after the proprietors ran away from their clinic on seeing the task force members. The whole clinic has been sealed. The taskforce also sealed the ultrasound machine of Anand Ultrasound Yamuna Nagar, after the concerned doctor, who is not authorized to operate the machine agreed to perform the test on a decoy patient, who was sent by the team. It is known that the doctor, Dr Pardeep Mahendru tested this woman (who was not pregnant) and informed her the sex of the "foetus."
The taskforce is headed by Dr. Sushma Madan, director, Health Dept, Haryana and has district enforcement teams. The team, which carried out the raids comprises of Dr. S C Bhardwaj, civil surgeon, Yamuna Nagar and Lalit Kumar Goel, district drugs inspector, Yamuna Nagar.