Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao calls for regulation of portable ultrasound scanning machines

Belagavi: Health and Family Welfare Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao (DGR) on Tuesday called for regulation of portable ultrasound scanning machines.

Replying to a question by BJP MLC C T Ravi on female foeticides in the Legislative Council, the minister said that despite various regulations, technology was helping people determine the sex of an unborn child.

“We have even requested the Union government to regulate the use of portable ultrasound machines, which can be carried by hand and scans conducted,” he added.

The minister admitted that the female foeticide had not been prevented and said, “It is true that the female foeticide is not prevented. The portable ultrasound is being misused to determine the sex of the unborn child and there is a need to control it.”

The minister informed the House that the government had appointed a separate nodal officer at every district and was also monitoring the hospitals where more male children had been born. “In the last two-and-a-half-years, seven sex determination cases were registered. Legal action will be initiated in such cases,” he added.

Meanwhile, Ravi opined that retaining the Bhagyalakshmi scheme for girl children, which was introduced by BJP government, would have helped in preventing female foeticide.

“People are even using social media platforms to get in touch with those conducting sex determination tests. There is a need for a stronger regulation,” he mentioned.

As provided in the reply, in the last two years, three cases were registered - one each from Bengaluru Rural (now North), Mandya and Bengaluru Urban districts, and 13 people arrested in this regard.