In a first-of-its-kind judgment two doctors were recently sentenced to three years imprisonment in the state by a lower court for violating the Preconception and Prenatal Diagnostics Techniques (prohibition of sex selection) Act 2003. However, statistics reveal that a lot needs to be done before the guilty are brought to book.

In August this year, a Dadar court held Dr Chhaya Tated (42) and Dr Shubhangi Adkar (62) — who owns Shree Maternity and Nursing Home in Dadar — guilty of offence under PCPNDT Act and slapped a fine of Rs 30,000 besides imprisonment. Dr Tated had advertised about some special treatment for those who ‘want a boy’ in a Marathi magazine in November 2004.

Between 2002 and 2008 a total of 117 cases, pertaining to violation of the Act, were filed against clinics in all parts of Maharashtra with Pune reporting the highest number of violations (26), followed by Ahmednagar (23). Of the pending cases, 17 cases are against the owners for non registration of clinic. In 54 cases, there was poor or non maintenance of records. In five cases, the doctor advertised for ‘baby boy’ either on a website, handbill or any other form of media and in the remaining 15 cases it was proven that the clinic conducted sex selection. Mumbai has a total of 1,376 sonography centers.

“It is important that the Federation of Obstetrics and Gynecologists Society of India and Indian Medical Association act proactively and take a stand on the erring doctors rather than wait for the government and the judiciary to catch the wrong doers. Unless the medical profession responds to the misuse of technology and poor medical ethics it would be an uphill task to stop the practice,” says A L Sharadha, programme director, Population First, an NGO working to spread awareness on the PCPNDT Act.

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