Karnataka Health Dept Announces Cash Reward of Rs 50K for Info on Illegal Scanning Centres

Bengaluru: In a an attempt to reduce male, female sex ratio in the state, Karnataka state Health Department has announced Rs 50, 000 cash reward for the informers of illegal scanning centres functioning across the state. The person who informs about an illegal ultra sound scanning centre which scans pregnant women to detect the gender of their embryo would get the cash reward from the state government.

The health department has also asked the pregnant women to provide information on the persons who force to conduct scanning at illegal ultra sound scanning centres to identify the sex of the embryo and the persons who force for abortion. The health department also sought information on brokers who felicitate for illegal scanning in the state especially Karnataka- Andhra, Karnataka-Maharashtra boarder regions.

Illegal scanning centers in North Karnataka, southern most regions of Maharashtra felicitate abortion at lower cost and people of Northern parts of Karnataka move to neighboring states, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh for illegal scanning and abortions, reports said.

Sex ratio in Karnataka and other parts of the country is seen declining in recent years as majority of the couples, their family members prefer for a male child. The illegal scanning centers in Karnataka and across the country generally help to identify the gender of the embryo and if it is a female then it ends in an abortion in most cases.

Help Line: Pregnant women, general public can provide information to the government on illegal scanning, abortion centers at 080-22341996, www.pcpndtkar.in, ddpcpndtkar@gmail.com or can dial toll free number 104.