State govt to set up task force to combat female foeticide

Belagavi: To combat female foeticide in the state the Karnataka government is planning to establish a coordination task force comprising the Health and Family Welfare Department and the Police Department, following the Tamil Nadu model.

Health Minister Dinesh Gundurao discused about this in the Legislative Council, emphasizing the need for stringent measures to control foeticide. The government plans to amend existing IPC laws, introducing monitoring for women who gave birth to a girl child in their first delivery upon becoming pregnant for the second time.

Minister Gundurao also assured a stricter implementation of the existing PCPNDT Act.

During discussions in the Vidhan Parishad, members KA Thippeswamy, BN Farooq, TA Saravana, and CN Manje Gowda, Umashree, and Bharti Shetty expressed concerns related to foeticide control and emphasized the importance of tightening laws and fostering societal awareness.

In recent cases of female foeticide, Section 312 has been imposed against the accused, leading to bail being granted. However, Section 315, which deals with birth avoidance, is non-bailable. The existing act lacks provisions regarding female foetuses, prompting attention from the Advocate General. The Minister acknowledged foeticide as an inherent part of the act, with opinions equating it to murder.

Key Actions Outlined by the Minister:

Formation of a task force in coordination with the Police Department by the Health Department
Amendment to the existing IPC Act
Stricter enforcement of the PCPNDT Act
Data collection and monitoring of second-time pregnant mothers using artificial intelligence
Action against those undergoing fetal sex detection and abortion
Establishment of a strict enforcement unit for the PCPNDT Act at the district and taluk levels

Minister’s Key Points:

Relaunch of the health helpline-104, with the inclusion of embryo detection
Mandatory renewal of scanning machine licenses every two years
Increase in the incentive for information on foeticide detection and killings from Rs 50,000 to Rs 1 lakh
Formation of monitoring teams in all 56 sub-divisions of the state
Utilization of Anganwadis, Asha workers, and Streeshakti Sanghs for anti-foeticide operations

Demand for Stringent Measures:

During the assembly discussion, members from Congress, BJP, and JDS advocated treating foeticide as murder and imposing life imprisonment on the offenders, recognizing it as a grave social evil that requires decisive government action.