Strict Vigil Ordered on Scanning Centers to Curb Female Foeticide in Dakshina Kannada

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Mangaluru : The Karnataka State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (KSCPCR) has issued a series of stringent directives to prevent female foeticide and ensure the fundamental right of every child to live. Presiding over a review meeting on the Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PC-PNDT) Act in Mangaluru on Wednesday, Commission member K.T. Tippeswamy emphasized the need for continuous monitoring of hospitals and scanning centers. He instructed officials to take immediate legal action against any facility violating the act by disclosing the gender of a fetus. To strengthen enforcement, the Commission suggested that signage declaring sex determination as a punishable offense must be prominently displayed in local languages across all nursing homes and hospitals.

A significant incentive has been highlighted to encourage public participation in reporting illegal activities. A reward of ₹1 lakh will be granted by the government to informants who provide credible information regarding hospitals or individuals encouraging illegal sex determination or abortions. Furthermore, the Commission mandated that all educational and healthcare institutions must compulsorily display the Child Helpline number (1098). In a strategic move to track high-risk cases, officials have been asked to monitor the outcomes of pregnancies where the mother is expecting a third child after having two girls, ensuring that any termination or loss of pregnancy is scrutinized for legitimacy.

Providing a status report on local enforcement, District Family Welfare Officer Dr. Deepa Prabhu informed the meeting that 69 notices were issued between March 2025 and January 2026 for various procedural lapses. While no major illegalities were found in ‘Form F’ documentation, regular audits are being conducted to maintain transparency. To further understand demographic shifts, a study is being initiated by K.S. Hegde Medical Academy to identify reasons for declining sex ratios in specific villages. The meeting, which included top health officials and advisory committee members, concluded with a call for heightened awareness among ASHA and Anganwadi workers to ensure the protection of the girl child at the grassroots level.