J&K government closes 18 ultra sound clinics

In a drive against sex determination tests the Jammu and Kashmir government today sealed 18 Ultra Sound Clinic (USCs) for violating norms.
    
"We have so far sealed 18 USCs during a campaign launched against illegal and unlawful operation of these clinics in Jammu region during past 3 days period,"  senior officials of state health ministry said.
    
Giving a break-up, they said six such clinics were sealed in Rajouri, five in Udhampur, four in Jammu and three in Samba district.
    
The drive was launched by a team of health department headed by chief medical officers (CMOs) of the respective districts, they said.
    
"The campaign of monitoring the activities of ultra sound clinics, which are operating un-lawfully without proper permission, will continue and it would be launched soon in other districts," they said.
    
Jammu and Kashmir is one of the three major states where sex ratio has declined as compared to Census 2001. The other two states are Bihar and Gujarat. State's overall sex ratio has been pegged at 883 females per 1000 males indicating a fall of 9 points compared to 2001 Census, according to provisional figures of 2011 Census. While the ratio is 940 at India level.
    
The health department has instruction from the minister for health and family welfare, Sham Lal Sharma to take stern action against all those clinics which were flouting norms.