Sex tests have now shifted to border areas

Several sex determination clinics have simply shifted from urban areas to the border towns of Maharashtra to evade the state’s strict vigilance.

While child sex ratio in most urban parts of Maharashtra, including Mumbai and Pune, has been improving after the Pre-Conception Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PCPNDT) Act was re-enforced in the state, officials and activists have confirmed that inter-state rackets are thriving.

The official website of the state campaign, Save The Girl Child (www.amchimulgi.in), and toll-free helpline (18002334475), which are used to alert authorities about illegal ultrasound tests/ abortions, have received around 25 complaints so far. “The complaints prompted us to call a meeting of officials from the five states,” said Asaram Khade, consultant to the state health department for implementation of the PCPNDT Act.

Representatives of states bordering Maharashtra were asked to form a joint task force to crack down on illegal clinics. “The next meeting would be in July. Until then, we will tip off each other and pass on whatever relevant information we have,” he added.

Officials said most complaints have reported cases from border areas of Maharashtra, Karnataka, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh,Gujarat and Goa.

The inter-state rackets give people all kinds of ‘facilities’ — pick-up from Maharashtra to clinics in other states and a drop after the necessary ‘procedures’. “ What’s more, package deals are being offered which include the pregnant woman’s transport, hospitalisation, sex determination test, medical termination of the foetus if it is female and disposal of the aborted foetus,” said an official.

The official added that the package cost ranges from around Rs40,000 to Rs60,000, depending on the number of ‘services’ availed, economic condition of the family as well as the location of the clinic.

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