The State government on Thursday constituted a Task Force for PCPNDT Act implementation under the chairmanship of Health and Family Welfare Commissioner.
The Hindu had highlighted the delay in setting up of the Task Force in the edition dated January 2.
Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao had on December 12 announced on the floor of the Legislative Council during the Belagavi session that the government will set up Task Forces at the State and district levels within a week to curb female foeticide. However, it had been delayed following surge in COVID-19 cases and shift of focus.
The Task Force comprises State Mission Director, National Health Mission; State Health Director; RCH Programme Officer; Deputy Director (Family Welfare); and Deputy Director (Medical Acts).
However, although the Minister said that the Task Force will have an officer of the cadre of Deputy SP or Assistant Commissioner of Police for better enforcement, none from the Police Department has been included. Health Commissioner Randeep D. said: “A decision to involve the Police Department will be taken after more discussion on the Tamil Nadu model.”
The Task Force is empowered to regularly monitor and oversee the functioning of State Appropriate Authority, State Inspection and Monitoring Committee, and State Advisory Body as well as the district level committees. While it has to conduct review meetings once in three months, it is also supposed to monitor all medical termination of pregnancies during the second trimester in the State. The Task Force also has the responsibility of recommending any amendments to the PCPNDT (Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques) Act, as and when required.
The Bengaluru police last month unearthed a prenatal sex determination racket across Bengaluru, Mandya, and Mysuru districts. They arrested a doctor and his lab technician who allegedly performed around 900 illegal abortions in the last three years.
