Karnataka government has decided to set up a cell under the Pre-Conception and Pre Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PC&PNDT) Act to control the rising incidence of the female foeticide in the state. The decision to form the Cell comes following a Central order to constitute State Inspection and Monitoring Committee (SIMC).

The PC& PNDT cell would be given powers to monitor the ultrasound centre across the state. There are a large number of unqualified and untrained personnel, who are found to run ultrasound centres in the rural areas of the State which is a gross violation to the PNDT Act of 1994.

"The cell will have a panel of representatives from the state health and family welfare department. The primary objective in setting up a dedicated cell was to oversee the activities of pre natal diagnostics. There is a clear indication that several doctors and staff at hospitals of private ultra sound clinics are responsible for the female foeticide, Karnataka Minister for health and family welfare, R Ashok told Pharmabiz.

Karnataka is the first state to form the cell. The Union government is making efforts to bring in amendments to the PC& PNDT Act. The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare was of the view that the existing rules were not stringent towards termination of the ensuing pregnancy. The formation of a national committee on the medical termination of pregnancy (MTP) has now made it compulsory by making the doctor and the patient sign up forms during a pregnancy termination.

According to the latest statistics available with the directorate of health and family welfare, for 1,000 males there are only 927 females. There are about 2,361 ultra sound scanning centres across the State, out of which 766 centres are in Bangalore. "Many of these centres are involved in female foeticide. So far only 34 cases of female foeticide have been detected and the accused are in Court. The figure of 34 is low compared to the total number of Primary Health Centres (PHCs) in the State which is 2,117. Going by the alarming increase in female foeticide, a lot of efforts need to be done to stop the violation of the PNDT Act, informed the health minister.

Although Bangalore City has no cases reported in the last four years, the activity is rampant in the rural areas. Also there are mobile vans operated by medical practitioners and diagnostic lab owners which ply to the villages to conduct the tests. Such practices have been difficult to curb, stated the health minister.

There is also dearth of sufficient evidence and unwillingness of witnesses to come forward and tell the truth. This has prompted the perpetrators of the crime to escape the punishment under the PC&PNDT Act 1994, stated the officials from the directorate of health and family welfare.