Senior officials of the department have shot off letters to districts to launch a drive to find out if this new mode is being used for sex selection. "The device is small and it could be transported easily. Such devices were recently seized in Haryana," officials said.
Following a skewed child sex ratio in the state, the state has been keeping strict vigil on sonography machines. While the health department gets SMSes when a sonography machine is switched on or off, the Chinese device may go "untracked".
In letters alerting health officials, the Centre has said, "Possibililty of import of small ultrasound machines and their use in illegal sex determination in your jurisdiction cannot be ruled out." The letter also mentioned launching of a drive to unearth such machines. Jhunjhunu district chief medical health officer Dr SN Dholpuria said, "We are acting on it. We have also introduced 'Helpline 104'. Anyone can inform on this number about sex selection activities under Mukhbir yojna and get Rs1 lakh reward if the same is proved in the court."
An NGO official Rakhi Badhwar said, "Technological advancement can make it more difficult to improve the sex ratio. Since, a slew of measures have already been taken by the government to check sex selection activities, unscrupulous persons are now scouting new vistas to hoodwink the police."
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