Gowda asks authorities to book persons involved in foeticide

Bhubaneswar: Chief Justice of Orissa High Court Justice V Gopala Gowda today asked law enforcing authorities to 'mercilessly' book those involved in illegal sex determination tests.

"You (authorities) must mercilessly book cases against the people destroying female foetus and punish those people under the law," he told district collectors, judicial officers and social activists addressing a colloquium "Strengthening Implementation of Pre-Conception and Pre Natal Diagnostic Techniques (Prohibition) of Sex Selection) Act, 1994".

Justice Gopala Gowda said district collectors have direct link with the people at the grass root level and a combined efforts by district authorities, judicial officers and committee social activists could help in changing the attitude of the people, particularly couples who go for illegal sex determination tests.

"Only a meaningful implementation of the law can ensure that sex ratio is maintained," he said adding there was no meaning of education or policy framing if they did not give results.

He said political executives across the country including the state have important roles to play in curbing the maladies of female foeticide.

"Proliferation and abuse of advanced technologies coupled with social factors such as dowry, concern with family name and looking upto the son as the bread winner has led to an alarming rise in the practice of female foeticide," Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said after inagurating the colloquium.

UNFPA representative in India, Frederika Meijer said if peoples representatives, media, government and UNFPA work in tandem, incidents of illegal sex determination could be curbed.