Sex test: Officials conducting raids seek more powers

Nitish Sharma

Tribune News Service

Kurukshetra, July 7

Tightening the noose around violators of the PCPNDT Act, health officials from Kurukshetra have conducted 40 raids and 75 inspections, including seven inter-state raids in Punjab and UP. The raids were conducted between April 1, 2016 and March 31, 2019.

The Health Department has registered 36 FIRs (18 each under the MTP Act and PCPNDT Act). The registration of 11 ultrasound centres have been cancelled, 10 have been sealed while 15 were issued show-cause notices.

During these raids, 120 people, including touts and doctors, were booked and arrested.

But due to lack of coordination between the police, officials of the Health Department and their counterparts in other states, the officials often find themselves in unruly situations.

Dr RK Sahai, former nodal officer for PCPNDT who had led these raids, told The Tribune, “Whenever there is a tip-off that a person is involved in the sex determination test racket, a team is formed and efforts are made to trap the violators. Things get difficult during inter-state raids as the raiding team lacks powers in such raids. The officials from other states don’t cooperate with the team.

“During interstate raids, officials of the other state make an excuse that they were not given prior information. But prior information can’t be provided in such cases as the touts don’t inform the decoy where the test will be conducted. Sometimes, they cross several districts and enter Punjab or UP. The test is done within five minutes and it is not possible for the local authorities to join the team,” he added.

Dr Sahai said, “Over a year ago, an accused had opened fire at the team during a raid in Saharanpur. But he was nabbed. As the security of the decoy customer (pregnant woman) is a big responsibility (she is not only risking her life, but also the baby’s), the Centre should make some amendments and provide more powers to the raiding teams. Teams from Haryana have conducted raids in Punjab, UP, Delhi and Rajasthan. The district has also been awarded with the national award for best enforcement of PCPNDT Act earlier this year.”

Civil Surgeon, Kurukshetra, Dr Sukhbir Singh said efforts are being made to improve the sex ratio and strict action would be taken against the people involved in sex determination test rackets.