Thaindian News

New Delhi, Apr 9(ANI): Union Health and Family Welfare Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad has reconstituted the Central Supervisory Board (CSB) under Section 7 of the Pre-conception and Pre-natal Diagnostic Techniques Act, 1994 (PC and PNDT Act).

“The term of office of a member, other than ex-officio member, shall be normally three years. No member other than an ex-officio member shall be appointed for more than two consecutive terms,” the ministry said in a statement.

“The functions of the Board include - to advise the Central Government on policy matters relating to use of pre-natal diagnostic techniques, sex selection techniques and against their misuse; to review and monitor implementation of the Act and rules made thereunder and recommend to the Central Government changes in the said Act and rules; to create public awareness against the practice of pre-conception sex selection and pre-natal determination of sex of foetus leading to female foeticide; to lay down code of conduct to be observed by persons working at Genetic Counseling Centres, Genetic Laboratories and Genetic Clinics; to oversee the performance of various bodies constituted under the Act and take appropriate steps to ensure its proper and effective implementation,” it added.

The first meeting of the reconstituted Board is likely to be held in the last week of May.

“Prior to that, a review meeting of State Health Secretaries has been scheduled on the April 20 for an in-depth review of the implementation of the PC and PNDT Act and to chalk out a concerted action plan to check the practice of sex selection leading to female foeticide,” the statement said.

The recent census figures highlighted the declining trend in Child Sex Ratio in the country.

In order to check female foeticide, the Pre-natal Diagnostic Techniques (Regulation and Prevention of Misuse) Act, 1994 (PNDT Act), was brought into operation from January 1, 1996.

The act was amended to make it more comprehensive and was renamed as “Pre-conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (Prohibition of Sex Selection) Act, 1994″ (PC and PNDT Act).

The amended act and rules framed there under came into force with effect from February 14, 2003.

The main objective of the act/rules is to ban the use of sex selection techniques before or after conception as well as misuse of pre-natal diagnostic techniques for sex selective abortions and to regulate such techniques, so as to pre-empt the misuse of such technologies and consequent adverse impact on the sex ratio.

Stringent punishments are prescribed under the act so as to serve as a deterrent for minimizing violations of the act.

Appropriate Authorities are empowered with the powers of civil court for search, seizure and sealing the machines, equipment and records of the violators of law, including sealing of premises and commissioning of witnesses.

It has been made mandatory to maintain proper records in respect of the use of ultrasound machines and other equipment capable of detection of sex of foetus and also in respect of tests and procedures that may lead to pre-conception selection of sex.

The sale of ultrasound machines has been regulated through laying down the condition of sale only to the bodies registered under the act. (ANI)