The Directorate of Family Welfare of the Arvind Kejriwal-led Delhi government on Thursday issued show cause notices to 89 hospitals and medical centres for “adverse sex ratio at birth” in 2014-15.
In a statement, the government said that it was noticed that those establishments had “skewed sex ratio” at birth in the range of 285:1000 (female:male) to 788:1000 (female:male) during the said period.
The government has asked these hospitals to reply within 10 days.
“The Directorate of Family Welfare has examined that the records of birth and death registration of 89 hospitals/medical centres in Delhi have below the average birth sex ratio last year,” the statement said.
On account of this, they have been directed to furnish the information under following heads: the reason for adverse sex ratio at the hospitals; whether centres/hospitals are registered with nursing home cell, DHS; whether centres/hospitals are providing MTP facility; and whether centres/hospitals are registered under MTP& PC & PNDT Act.
In case centres/hospitals are not providing facilities under MTP & PNDT, centres/hospitals are directed to provide the details of the centres where patents are being referred for MTP and ultrasonography, said the Directorate of Family Welfare.
“In public interest, serious action will be taken by the state govt. against all those found guilty. The GNCT of Delhi is committed to eradicate this long prevailing social menace of female foeticide,” the statement said.
“The chief minister of Delhi has directed the Health Department to remove all misgivings among expecting parents about the girl child and has also directed awareness campaigns on the benefits of having girl child.”