Female foeticide: SC wants Centre, states to scan ultra-sound clinics

Expressing concern over misuse of technology causing grave imbalance in sex-ratio, the Supreme Court today directed the Centre and state gov...

Expressing concern over misuse of technology causing grave imbalance in sex-ratio, the Supreme Court today directed the Centre and state governments to strictly monitor the activities of ultra-sound diagnostic clinics to prevent illegal female foeticide.

The order was given by a two-judge bench which was monitoring for the last two years implementation of Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (regulations and prevention of misuse) Act across the country.

Justice Shah, pronouncing the final verdict of the court on a PIL filed by Centre for Enquiry into Health and Allied Themes (CEHAT), an NGO, said, ‘‘With no change in the mindset about females, the sex-determination tests add to the adverse situation.’’

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The court said the advancement of technology was to bring succour to the populace but with the mindset remaining unchanged, the technology was being used for illegal ‘‘removal of female foetus’’ and this ‘‘adds to pressure on male-female ratio’’.

CEHAT had alleged that the sex-ratio in the country, as reflected in the 2001 census, was dropping due to the unchecked practice of determining the sex of foetus, resulting in female foeticide.