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Healthcare IT

Maharashtra uses ICT to curb illegal sex determination

By Anshupriya Jha | 15 July 2011

In a bid to improve the skewed sex ratio of girls and boys, the Maharashtra government launched a helpline number on July 11 to prevent illegal sex determination tests and female foeticide. The recent provisional census figures have put it at 883 girls per 1000 boys in the State.

Citizens can call 188002334475 and register complaints, voice concerns as well as give tip-offs on sonography centres/doctors operating anywhere in Maharashtra and engaged in flouting the PCPNDT Act {Preconception and Pre-natal Diagnostic Techniques (prohibition of sex selection) Act, 1994} or any such related illegal activity. They can also seek information about the various provisions of the Act, and counselling on health issues.

While the helpline number is already active, the website www.amchimulgi.gov.in would be thrown open to the public from August 1. It would be available in Hindi, English and Marathi.

Once the complaint will be registered, the concerned authorities would be immediately alerted via an SMS or e-mail.

Talking to FutureGov, Dr. S.C. Gupta, Additional Director, Public Health and Family Welfare, Government of Maharashtra, said the confidentiality of the complainants would be maintained to motivate people to fearlessly come forward and bring any discrepancies to the government’s notice. He said though plans for the helpline and the website were in the pipeline, recent incidents such as three female foetuses being found in a drain in Beed district and a doctor couple being caught by the State’s Health Department officials taking money at their Pune clinic to facilitate a sex determination test expedited the process.

In the first three days, at least four serious complaints were received on the helpline from Pune, Sangli, Nasik and Nasik Corporation. Dr. Gupta said that the concerned departments have been intimated and they have been given a week’s time to submit their findings. He said this initiative would deter the culprits from engaging in such acts as the citizens would now easily be able to reach the authorities. Another incentive, he said, is that the helpline is a toll-free number and it would only cost a little time on the part of the complainant.

Presently, complaints will be registered during office hours i.e. between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. An answering machine has been set up to record calls beyond these hours. Once more staff would be recruited, this service would be made available 24*7.

In a period of three months, the current helpline number will be changed to an easy-to-recall three digit number.

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