Dr. S. Soumya urged action against illegal gender tests in border areas, highlighting declining female child numbers and promoting public reporting with a ₹1 lakh reward
Chitradurga
The District Advisory Committee meeting on the PCPNDT Act focused on preventing female foeticide and improving the declining sex ratio in Chitradurga district. Officials emphasized strict enforcement of the law and active monitoring of all scanning centers.
Chairperson Dr. S. Soumya said some pregnant women from Parashurampur and Molakalmuru travel to border areas in Anantapur, Andhra Pradesh, to get illegal gender tests at unlicensed centers. She urged officials to take special precautions to identify and stop such cases.
Committee member K. P. Meenakshi raised concerns about the falling number of female children, particularly in Hosdurga and Holalkere taluks. Asha workers highlighted the need for continuous tracking of pregnant women and their movements.
Member Gayatri Sivaram noted that the government has offered a reward of one lakh rupees for reporting illegal gender detection activities. She stressed the importance of spreading awareness among the public to encourage reporting.
The committee decided to conduct unannounced inspections, ensuring scanning centers follow all legal requirements and maintain proper records. Dr. DM Abhinava, District RCH Officer, said state-level software is being used to analyze three years of data to detect “red mark” areas prone to illegal scanning.
The meeting was attended by key officials including District Family Welfare Officer Dr. T.D. Rekha, Dr. KG Satyanarayana, pediatrician Dr. Devaraj, Samaj activist Gayatri Sivaram, and representatives from local scanning centers. The committee resolved to strengthen monitoring, enforce the PCPNDT Act rigorously, and increase public awareness to safeguard female children in the district.
