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Himachal calls for effective steps to check female foeticide

Shimla: Himachal Pradesh would request neighbouring States to take effective steps to check female foeticide in bordering areas and conduct frequent raids to stop “misuse” of the Act permitting termination of pregnancy after two children, the State Assembly was told on Wednesday.

Following information that people go to other states for illegal abortion and sex determination test to evade the law, the Himachal government would request neighbouring states to be more vigilant, Health Minister Rajeev Bindal told the House during Question Hour.

He said this could be the reason for the non-improvement in sex ratio in Una and Kullu districts.

Kaul Singh Thakur (Congress) asked the Minister to make it mandatory for those who want to go for abortion under Termination of Pregnancy Act to furnish details of sex of existing children as many people are misusing the Act to avoid girl child.

On this Mr. Bindal said frequent raids would be held in clinics and hospitals to ensure that the Act was not misused. He said in past three years, two cases of female foeticide were reported in the State and FIRs were lodged.

The Minister said the State Government has launched a comprehensive awareness drive at the grassroots level to educate people against the practice. As incentive one panchayat in each district with the best sex ratio is awarded every year. The sex ratio in Himachal has improved from 866 females per 1,000 males in 2005 to 885 females per 1,000 males in 2006, he added. — PTI

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Himachal calls for effective steps to check female foeticide

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