PRI Convention on PC & PNDT Act held at Nabarangpur.

To curb misuse of ultra sonography facility, the  district level PRI convention and strengthening implementation of Pre-Conception and Prenatal Diagnostic Techniques (PC & PNDT) Act,  1994   was held at the conference hall of district headquarters hospital here on Wednesday.  Collector Yamini Sarangi, who is also chairperson of the committee, presided over the meeting. Convener PC & PNDT Cell, CDMO Dr.Nanda Kishor Mishra, enlightened guidelines of the act.

Dr. Mishra said though still better than the state average (1018/1,000), the child sex ratio in Nabarangpur improved from 991/1,000 in 2001 to 1031/1000 in 2011. "Concerned over the child sex ratio which is declining due to various factors like neglect of the girl child, female infanticide, female foeticide, high maternal and infant mortality and sex selective abortions by amniocentesis, we are keeping a close watch on ultrasound scan centers in the district, as this district has only two registered center’s said CDMO Dr. Mishra.

Speaking to the occasion Collector Yamini Sarangi, said the prenatal sex selective elimination of female foetus is a serious form of gender discrimination that needs to be curbed. As per the provisional data of census 2011 the child sex ration in Odisha now stands at an all-time low of 934 girls for 1000 boys, which again indicates a bleak picture for the girl child in the state. In four districts the ratio has dipped down alarmingly to less than 900.  Low child sex ration has direct linkage with misuse of technology for sex determination and sex selective abortion. The PC PNDT act has been enacted to curb the menace of female foeticide in the country, The district Magistrates have been notified as appropriate authority at the district level, where director family welfare is state authority for act implementation, over and above task forces have been constituted at the state and district levels to intensify processes for effective implementation of the provisions of the act she added

Supt. Of police Brajesh Kumar Rai, who also member of district Task force committee said Sex determination techniques have been in use in India  since 1975 primarily but  the increasing in female foeticide in the country  alarmed at the declining child sex ration   the apex court directed the health authorities for the prevention of their misuse for sex determination  in the year 1994. Now the state government assigning high priority on the issue of declining sex ration, has initiated several activities targeting key stakeholders for effective implementation of the act Mr.Rai added.

Among others Public prosecutor Prakash Chandra Mishra, ZP President, Motiram Nayak, Vice-Chairperson, Nibadita Mohanty, Chairman’s of blocks and PRI, Members were present at the meeting.