The suggestion mooted calls for a committee comprising doctors, parents, district health officers and NGO's to keep track of the expectant mother
While the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of the Maharashtra Assembly may have suggested making a pre-natal sex determination test mandatory to deflect blame for female foeticide from doctors to parents, the move is not only impractical, but could also clash with the fundamental rights of citizens, if implemented. The suggested amendment to the Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (Regulation and Prevention of Misuse) Act, (PCPNDT) 1994 could not only provide elbow room for unscrupulous doctors to fudge reports and enable more abortions at an earlier stage, it could also lead to harassment of pregnant mothers by family members desiring male children, and by NGOs and police tasked with keeping a tab on expecting mothers.
The suggestion mooted calls for a committee comprising doctors, parents, district health officers and NGO's to keep track of the expectant mother. Legal eagles who deal with the PCPNDT are of the view that one cannot rule out the possibility of NGOs harassing a woman in case she has undergone an abortion within the legal limit of 20 weeks. The credentials of NGOs roped in for the task is another concern.
Besides, implementing such a move will prove to be a logistical nightmare. It will require an army of NGOs and health officials to keep track of all expecting mothers on a daily basis. Advocates seeking newer legislation in place of the PCPNDT Act claim that the only way to stop female foeticide is to create awareness about the importance of a girl child. Proper education and sensitisation will help eradicate regressive mindset, which is a collective responsibility.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "Sex determination tests")
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}