Lok Sabha Debates
Consideration Of The Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (Regulation And ... on 21 August, 2001
Title: Consideration of the Pre-natal Diagnostic Techniques (Regulation and Prevention of Misuse) Amendment Bill, 2001 (Passed by Rajya Sabha).
15.25 hrs. THE MINISTER OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE (DR. C.P. THAKUR): Sir, I beg to move:
"That the Bill to amend the Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (Regulation and Prevention of Misuse) Act, 1994, as passed by the Rajya Sabha, be taken into consideration."
Sir, this is a very small amending Bill. It provides that the Members of either the Lok Sabha or the Rajya Sabha who are Members of the Central Supervisory Board, under this Act, would cease to be a Member of that Board if they are elevated to the posts like the Speaker, Lok Sabha, or the Deputy-Speaker, Lok Sabha or a Deputy Minister, or a State Minister or a Cabinet Minister or a Deputy Chairman or Chairman of the Rajya Sabha. This House had passed similar amendments in case of the Governing Body of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences and PGI, Chandigarh. So, this is a very small and an innocuous Bill meant to provide more facilities to all those Members who are not elevated to higher posts.
Thank you.
MR. DEPUTY-SPEAKER: Motion moved:
"That the Bill to amend the Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (Regulation and Prevention of Misuse) Act, 1994, as passed by the Rajya Sabha, be taken into consideration."
The scope of the Bill is very limited. Time allotted for this Bill is 30 minutes.
SHRI ADHIR CHOWDHARY (BERHAMPORE, WEST BENGAL): Sir, the title of the Bill is `Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (Regulation and Prevention of Misuse) Amendment Bill.
डॉ. मदन प्र:द्ृद्धड्ड;ााद जा:द्ृद्धड्डढ;ा:द्ृद्धड्ड;ा:ठ्ठहद्वड्ढ;ााल (:हद्वद्धद्धड्ढद;ोति:द्ृद्धड्डढ;ाा) : उपाध्:द्ृद्धड्डढ;ाक्ष जी, इ:द्ृद्धड्ड;ाको ऐ:द्ृद्धड्ड;ो ही पा:द्ृद्धड्ड;ा हो जाना चाहिए।…( व्:द्ृद्धड्डढ;ा:ठ्ठहद्वड्ढ;ाधान) :द्ृद्धड्डढ;ाह कोई मुद्दा नहीं है। दू:द्ृद्धड्ड;ारा :ठ्ठहद्वड्ढ;ााला :िहद्वद्धद्धड्ढद;ाल ले लि:द्ृद्धड्डढ;ाा जाए।…( व्:द्ृद्धड्डढ;ा:ठ्ठहद्वड्ढ;ाधान) इ:द्ृद्धड्ड;ामें कुछ :द्रद्ृद्वदड्ड;ाी नहीं है, दू:द्ृद्धड्ड;ारा :िहद्वद्धद्धड्ढद;ाल ले लि:द्ृद्धड्डढ;ाा जाना चाहिए।…( व्:द्ृद्धड्डढ;ा:ठ्ठहद्वड्ढ;ाधान) डॉ. रघु:ठ्ठहद्वड्ढ;ां:द्रठ्ठद्धठ्ठ;ा प्र:द्ृद्धड्ड;ााद :िंद्ृद्धड्ड;ाह (:ठ्ठहद्वड्ढ;ौ:द्रठ्ठद्धठ्ठ;ााली) : नहीं, ऐ:द्ृद्धड्ड;ो कै:द्ृद्धड्ड;ो दू:द्ृद्धड्ड;ारा :िहद्वद्धद्धड्ढद;ाल ले लि:द्ृद्धड्डढ;ाा जाएगा?…( व्:द्ृद्धड्डढ;ा:ठ्ठहद्वड्ढ;ाधान) उपाध्:द्ृद्धड्डढ;ाक्ष महोद:द्ृद्धड्डढ;ा : इतना छोटा :िहद्वद्धद्धड्ढद;ाल है, उ:द्ृद्धड्ड;ाके :हद्वद्धद्धड्ढद;ाारे में माननी:द्ृद्धड्डढ;ा मंत्री जी ने अ:द्रद्ृद्वदड्ड;ाी :हद्वद्धद्धड्ढद;ाता:द्ृद्धड्डढ;ाा है।
…( व्:द्ृद्धड्डढ;ा:ठ्ठहद्वड्ढ;ाधान) SHRI ADHIR CHOWDHARY : Sir, this Bill has already been passed by the Rajya Sabha. I am very much in agreement with the hon. Minister when he says that this is apparently a small Bill, yes but in essence it has had wider ramifications as far as our society, in particular, is concerned and as far as our country, in general, is concerned. This amending Bill seeks to terminate the membership of the Central Supervisory Board which is constituted under section 7 of the Act and which includes three women Members of Parliament. It says that consequent upon a member becoming a Minister of the State or a Deputy Minister or the Deputy-Speaker or the Speaker of the House of the people or a Deputy-Chairman of the house, his/her membership from the Board shall stand terminated. I do not find any excuse to oppose this Bill.
Sir, I would rather prefer to seize this opportunity to express my concern and draw the attention of the hon. Minister to some relevant issues. It is because it relates to our population and it also relates to gender inequalities in India. We know that the population balance is now being distorted much to the discomfiture of all of us.
MR. DEPUTY-SPEAKER: Shri Chowdhary, you can have a general discussion on population on the Constitution Amendment Bill. That is the reason why the BAC has given only 30 minutes for this Bill.
SHRI ADHIR CHOWDHARY : Sir, when I have got the opportunity of having Dr. C.P.Thakur as the hon. Minister of Health, I cannot resist my temptation.
MR. DEPUTY-SPEAKER: You resist your temptation till the next Bill.
SHRI ADHIR CHOWDHARY : Sir, I would just take a few minutes. This Bill talks about pre-natal diagnostic techniques regulation and prevention of misuse. But the Government cannot ban devices like the ultra-sonography, amniocentesis and clorofic biopsy. These relate to genetic disorders. If those genetic disorders get manifested and detected early, then they could be prevented. There are ten million people in India who are suffering from various kinds of genetic disorders and further more, about 5,000 diseases relating to genetic disorders have been discovered so far. So, it is a continous process. I would like to know as to how the Pre-implantation Genetic Diagnosis could be prevented. In short it is called the PGD. Pre-Natal Sex determination is done after a woman conceives but the process of pre-implantation is different. It relates to the embryonic stage.
The question is as to how you would prevent those people who indulge in determining the sex through Flourescent In Situ Hybridization.
The Bill was passed in 1994 and it came into force in 1996. I would like to know whether the Government has got any effective tool to prevent misuse of gender identification, especially so in the case of techniques of pre-implantation genetic diagnosis. How do we prevent the people who are going to indulge in this practice through this process? In India, as far as our population is concerned … (Interruptions)
SHRI VARKALA RADHAKRISHNAN (CHIRAYINKIL): Cloning of human embryos will come soon.
SHRI ADHIR CHOWDHARY : It is the most recent syndrome.
MR. DEPUTY-SPEAKER: Shri Radhkrishnan, this is a very limited Bill.
SHRI VARKALA RADHAKRISHNAN : Cloning of human embryo is an international issue.
MR. DEPUTY-SPEAKER: You are encroaching upon the hon. Member’s time.
SHRI VARKALA RADHAKRISHNAN : He has conceded to me.
MR. DEPUTY-SPEAKER: No, he has not. If he had conceded, he would have yielded to you.
SHRI ADHIR CHOWDHARY : Males in India are outnumbering females by 5 to 8 per cent. In developed countries, females are outnumbering males by 3 to 5 per cent. I have been struck by my conscience to think whether we have been blessed or blemished by science. You cannot deny the fact that only by enacting laws you cannot prevent this evil practice. A social movement is imperative for this. From womb to the tomb, the girl child suffers miserably. Gender inequality is the opportunities structure is so pervasive that childhood becomes dicotomy has been spliting into girlhood and boyhood.
A child has a right to be born. But the life of the girl child is snuffed out at birth? If this gender discrimination continues like this, a day might come when polygamy might again have to be restored to in our society. If this continues like this, sexual crime will also go up in our society.
Taking into consideration all these aspects, we need to adopt a holistic approach in this regard. It is detrimental to our society and to our country. Predilection against the girl child should be banished by awakening the conscience of our countrymen.
DR. V. SAROJA (RASIPURAM): Mr. Deputy-Speaker, Sir, I rise to support the Bill with certain reservations.
Sex determination can be done, as the previous speaker has said, through the methods - (1) Chronic Villi Biopsy, (2) Amniocentesis, (3) Ultrasonogram, and (4) Chromosomal Sex Determination from Buccal Smear test. This Bill consists of two parts. One part is the Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (Regulation and Prevention of Misuse) Act, 1994, and rules framed thereunder and enforced with effect from 1st January, 1996. I would like to put a pertinent question to the hon. Minister.
Though the Act came into being in 1996, still the incidents of female infanticide are on the rise. That is again attributed to the sex determination test.
The child sex ratio has come down consistently from 976 in 1961 to 927 in 2001.
The female infanticide is attributed only because of the sex determination test. In the first trimester .months of the pregnancy, there are certain provisions for detecting genetic or metabolic disorders, chromosomal abnormalities, certain congenital malformations of sex linked disorders and for prevention of the misuse of such techniques. For this purpose, we cannot ignore the ultra-sonogram and other diagnostic techniques.
Sir, though the female infanticide has been banned through the Act of 1996 which came into force from the New Year day of 1996, I must congratulate the NGOs who had filed a PIL in the hon. Supreme Court of India in this regard and on 4th April, 2001, the hon. Supreme Court had come out with a direction to the Centre. I may be allowed to quote it. The hon. Supreme Court says:
"The Medical Council of India (MCI) as the professional watchdog should have stepped in suo motu. It is not too late. MCI should set the ball rolling.
Law alone cannot tackle social crimes like female infanticide. Law is only a tool, often an ineffective instrument as experience shows. What is needed is a campaign to change the mindset of the people. NGOs are better cut out for the job, not the Government. "
With these words, I conclude.
डॉ. रघु:ठ्ठहद्वड्ढ;ां:द्रठ्ठद्धठ्ठ;ा प्र:द्ृद्धड्ड;ााद :िंद्ृद्धड्ड;ाह : महोद:द्ृद्धड्डढ;ा, हमें :द्रद्ृद्वदड्ड;ाी इ:द्ृद्धड्ड;ा :िहद्वद्धद्धड्ढद;ाल पर :हद्वद्धद्धड्ढद;ाोलना है।
उपाध्:द्ृद्धड्डढ;ाक्ष महोद:द्ृद्धड्डढ;ा : आप अगले :िहद्वद्धद्धड्ढद;ाल पर :हद्वद्धद्धड्ढद;ाोलिए।
डॉ. रघु:ठ्ठहद्वड्ढ;ां:द्रठ्ठद्धठ्ठ;ा प्र:द्ृद्धड्ड;ााद :िंद्ृद्धड्ड;ाह : मैं इ:द्ृद्धड्ड;ा पर क्:द्ृद्धड्डढ;ाों :हद्वद्धद्धड्ढद;ाोलना चाहता हूं, :द्ृद्धड्डढ;ाह :हद्वद्धद्धड्ढद;ाता दूं।…( व्:द्ृद्धड्डढ;ा:ठ्ठहद्वड्ढ;ाधान) उपाध्:द्ृद्धड्डढ;ाक्ष महोद:द्ृद्धड्डढ;ा : आप उ:द्ृद्धड्ड;ा :िहद्वद्धद्धड्ढद;ाल में :द्रद्ृद्वदड्ड;ाी :हद्वद्धद्धड्ढद;ाता :द्ृद्धड्ड;ाकते हैं। अगला :िहद्वद्धद्धड्ढद;ाल :द्रद्ृद्वदड्ड;ाी मेडिकल काउं:िद्ृद्धड्ड;ाल का है, उ:द्ृद्धड्ड;ामें :द्रद्ृद्वदड्ड;ाी आप :द्ृद्धड्ड;ाारी :हद्वद्धद्धड्ढद;ाातें :हद्वद्धद्धड्ढद;ाोल :द्ृद्धड्ड;ाकते हैं।
डॉ. रघु:ठ्ठहद्वड्ढ;ां:द्रठ्ठद्धठ्ठ;ा प्र:द्ृद्धड्ड;ााद :िंद्ृद्धड्ड;ाह : महोद:द्ृद्धड्डढ;ा, :ठ्ठहद्वड्ढ;ाह अलग है।…( व्:द्ृद्धड्डढ;ा:ठ्ठहद्वड्ढ;ाधान) उपाध्:द्ृद्धड्डढ;ाक्ष महोद:द्ृद्धड्डढ;ा : ठीक है, के:ठ्ठहद्वड्ढ;ाल दो मिनट :हद्वद्धद्धड्ढद;ाोलिए।
डॉ. रघु:ठ्ठहद्वड्ढ;ां:द्रठ्ठद्धठ्ठ;ा प्र:द्ृद्धड्ड;ााद :िंद्ृद्धड्ड;ाह : उपाध्:द्ृद्धड्डढ;ाक्ष महोद:द्ृद्धड्डढ;ा, :द्ृद्धड्डढ;ाह इतना महत्:ठ्ठहद्वड्ढ;ापूर्ण :िठ्ठहद्वड्ढ;ाधे:द्ृद्धड्डढ;ाक है, हालांकि एक क्लाज़ का :द्ृद्धड्ड;ां:द्रठ्ठद्धठ्ठ;ाोधन है, लेकिन लोग :िहद्वद्धद्धड्ढद;ाना :हद्वद्धद्धड्ढद;ाह:द्ृद्धड्ड;ा के क्:द्ृद्धड्डढ;ाों पा:द्ृद्धड्ड;ा कर:ठ्ठहद्वड्ढ;ााना चाहते हैं। आप लोग :ड्ढह;ाूण हत्:द्ृद्धड्डढ;ाा के पक्ष में हैं। :द्ृद्धड्ड;ाुप्रीम कोर्ट ने दर्जनों :हद्वद्धद्धड्ढद;ाार कहा है कि इ:द्ृद्धड्ड;ाका :द्ृद्धड्ड;ाही ढंग :द्ृद्धड्ड;ो इम्प्लीमेंट नहीं हो रहा है। इ:द्ृद्धड्ड;ा :िहद्वद्धद्धड्ढद;ाल पर :हद्वद्धद्धड्ढद;ाह:द्ृद्धड्ड;ा होनी चाहिए। दे:द्रठ्ठद्धठ्ठ;ा और दुनि:द्ृद्धड्डढ;ाा के लोग जानते हैं कि इ:द्ृद्धड्ड;ा कानून में आपने क्:द्ृद्धड्डढ;ाा लिखा, :द्ृद्धड्डढ;ाह लागू हो रहा है :द्ृद्धड्डढ;ाा नहीं। …( व्:द्ृद्धड्डढ;ा:ठ्ठहद्वड्ढ;ाधान) क्:द्ृद्धड्डढ;ाा इ:द्ृद्धड्ड;ा:द्ृद्धड्ड;ो :द्ृद्धड्ड;ारकार गिर जाएगी?
महोद:द्ृद्धड्डढ;ा, :द्ृद्धड्डढ;ाह इतना महत्:ठ्ठहद्वड्ढ;ापूर्ण :िहद्वद्धद्धड्ढद;ाल है - :त्हद्धद्ृ;ाोमोजोम्:द्ृद्धड्ड;ा, जेनेटिक मेटा:हद्वद्धद्धड्ढद;ाोलिक त्रुटि की जांच के लिए जो कानून :हद्वद्धद्धड्ढद;ाना, उ:द्ृद्धड्ड;ाके अंतर्गत ही :द्ृद्धड्ड;ौक्:द्ृद्धड्ड;ा की जांच हो जाती। ग:द्रद्ृद्वदड्डर्;ा में :हद्वद्धद्धड्ढद;ाच्चे-:हद्वद्धद्धड्ढद;ाच्चि:द्ृद्धड्डढ;ाों का रे:द्रठ्ठद्धठ्ठ;:द्ृद्धड्डढ;ाो :द्ृद्धड्ड;ान् २००१ में घट ग:द्ृद्धड्डढ;ाा - ड्रा:द्ृिद्धड्ड;टकली पंजा:हद्वद्धद्धड्ढद;ा, गुजरात, हरि:द्ृद्धड्डढ;ााणा, हिमाचल प्रदे:द्रठ्ठद्धठ्ठ;ा, चंडीगढ़ और दिल्ली में। :द्ृद्धड्डढ;ाह क्:द्ृद्धड्डढ;ाा कानून :हद्वद्धद्धड्ढद;ाना हुआ है कि इन :द्ृद्धड्ड;ा:हद्वद्धद्धड्ढद;ा :हद्वद्धद्धड्ढद;ाीमारि:द्ृद्धड्डढ;ाों की जांच और जेनेटिक आदि त्रुटि है :द्ृद्धड्डढ;ाा नहीं, इ:द्ृद्धड्ड;ाकी जांच के लिए कानून :हद्वद्धद्धड्ढद;ाना और जांच :द्ृद्धड्ड;ौक्:द्ृद्धड्ड;ा की हो रही है। आप जानते हैं कि हिन्दु:द्ृद्धड्ड;तान जै:द्ृद्धड्ड;ो मुल्क में पहले :द्ृद्धड्ड;ो ही लोगों की :द्ृद्धड्डढ;ाह धारणा :हद्वद्धद्धड्ढद;ानी हुई है कि :हद्वद्धद्धड्ढद;ोटा होता है तो ठीक और अगर :हद्वद्धद्धड्ढद;ोटी होती है तो खरा:हद्वद्धद्धड्ढद;ा है। पहले :द्ृद्धड्ड;ो ही लोगों के दिमाग में :द्ृद्धड्डढ;ाह मान:िद्ृद्धड्ड;ाक और :द्ृद्धड्ड;ाामाजिक :हद्वद्धद्धड्ढद;ाीमारी है।
कहीं-कहीं :हद्वद्धद्धड्ढद;ाच्चे को छठी के दिन ही देखते हैं और अगर :हद्वद्धद्धड्ढद;ोटी है तो मार देते हैं। इ:द्ृद्धड्ड;ा तरह की :द्ृद्धड्ड;ाो:द्ृद्धड्ड;ाा:द्ृद्धड्डढ;ाटी में कुप्र:ठ्ठहद्वड्ढ;ाृत्ति व्:द्ृद्धड्डढ;ााप्त है। इ:द्ृद्धड्ड;ालि:द्ृद्धड्डढ;ो :िठ्ठहद्वड्ढ;ा:िद्रद्ृद्वदड्ड;ान्न कानून :हद्वद्धद्धड्ढद;ानाकर इ:द्ृद्धड्ड;ा :द्ृद्धड्ड;ाामाजिक :हद्वद्धद्धड्ढद;ाीमारी को रोकने का उपा:द्ृद्धड्डढ;ा हो रहा है। :द्ृद्धड्ड;ाुप्रीम कोर्ट ने कहा है कि :द्ृद्धड्डढ;ाह ठीक :द्ृद्धड्ड;ो लागू नहीं हो रहा है:
"The Supreme Court, in a Public Interest Litigation, filed by the Centre for Enquiry into Health and Allied Themes (CEHAT) and others Vs. Union of India and others, has issued directions on 4th May 2001 to the Central Government, State Governments and appropriate authorities to take steps for effective implementation of the Act."
इ:द्ृद्धड्ड;ाका इफैक्टि:ठ्ठहद्वड्ढ;ा इंपलीमेंटे:द्रठ्ठद्धठ्ठ;ान नहीं हो रहा है। :द्ृद्धड्ड;ारकार :द्ृद्धड्डढ;ाह क्लाज़ लेकर आई है लेकिन ऐ:द्ृद्धड्ड;ाा क्:द्ृद्धड्डढ;ाों हो रहा है, इ:द्ृद्धड्ड;ो इंपलीमेंट करने के लि:द्ृद्धड्डढ;ो कौन :द्ृद्धड्ड;ाी का:द्ृद्धड्डढर्;ा:ठ्ठहद्वड्ढ;ााही की गई है, :द्ृद्धड्डढ;ाह मालूम नहीं। इ:द्ृद्धड्ड;ा :हद्वद्धद्धड्ढद;ाात की जांच-प:ढद्धठ्ठह१२;ताल करने पर पा:द्ृद्धड्डढ;ाा ग:द्ृद्धड्डढ;ाा है कि प्रैक्टी:द्रठ्ठद्धठ्ठ;ान:द्ृद्धड्डर्;ा धंधा कर रहे हैं। आप उनको क्:द्ृद्धड्डढ;ाा :द्ृद्धड्ड;ाजा दे रहे हैं? मुझे :द्रठ्ठद्धठ्ठ;ांका है कि उनकी :द्ृद्धड्डढ;ाह प्रैक्टि:द्ृद्धड्ड;ा चालू है लेकिन :द्ृद्धड्ड;ारकार इ:द्ृद्धड्ड;ा मामले पर :हद्वद्धद्धड्ढद;ाह:द्ृद्धड्ड;ा नहीं होने देना चाहती है "A technical committee under the Central Supervisory Board has been constituted to examine the possibility of amending the PNDT Act …"
आपने इ:द्ृद्धड्ड;ा एक्ट में अमेंडमेंट करने के लि:द्ृद्धड्डढ;ो और :द्ृद्धड्ड;ा:हद्वद्धद्धड्ढद;ा-कमेटी :हद्वद्धद्धड्ढद;ाहाल करने के लि:द्ृद्धड्डढ;ो कहा है।
"… keeping in view the emerging technologies and to eliminate the difficulties encountered in the implementation of the Act."
:द्ृद्धड्ड;ाुप्रीम कोर्ट की डा:द्ृद्धड्डढ;ारेक्:द्रठ्ठद्धठ्ठ;ान है। :द्ृद्धड्डढ;ाह :द्रद्ृद्वदड्ड;ाी पता चला है कि :हद्वद्धद्धड्ढद;ोटी का रे:द्रठ्ठद्धठ्ठ;ाो कम हो रहा है, इ:द्ृद्धड्ड;ा पर आपने क्:द्ृद्धड्डढ;ाा :द्ृद्धड्ड;ाजे:द्ृद्धड्ड;ट कि:द्ृद्धड्डढ;ाा है और इ:द्ृद्धड्ड;ामें क्:द्ृद्धड्डढ;ाा :द्ृद्धड्ड;ाुधार हो रहा है? इ:द्ृद्धड्ड;ालि:द्ृद्धड्डढ;ो मैं कहता हूं कि इ:द्ृद्धड्ड;ा कानून को ठीक ढंग :द्ृद्धड्ड;ो लागू नहीं कि:द्ृद्धड्डढ;ाा जा रहा है। क्:द्ृद्धड्डढ;ाा :द्ृद्धड्ड;ारकार इ:द्ृद्धड्ड;ा छोटी :द्ृद्धड्ड;ाी :हद्वद्धद्धड्ढद;ाात पर गिर जा:द्ृद्धड्डढ;ोगी। उपाध्:द्ृद्धड्डढ;ाक्ष महोद:द्ृद्धड्डढ;ा, इ:द्ृद्धड्ड;ा पर :हद्वद्धद्धड्ढद;ाह:द्ृद्धड्ड;ा चालू रखी जानी चाहि:द्ृद्धड्डढ;ो। :द्ृद्धड्ड;ाुप्रीम कोर्ट का डा:द्ृद्धड्डढ;ारेक्:द्रठ्ठद्धठ्ठ;ान माना जाना चाहि:द्ृद्धड्डढ;ो, लोगों में व्:द्ृद्धड्डढ;ाापक प्रचार कि:द्ृद्धड्डढ;ाा जाना चाहि:द्ृद्धड्डढ;ो। पहले लोग टै:द्ृद्धड्ड;ट कराते हैं कि :हद्वद्धद्धड्ढद;ोटा है :द्ृद्धड्डढ;ाा :हद्वद्धद्धड्ढद;ोटी। :द्ृद्धड्डढ;ाह पता लगने पर कि :हद्वद्धद्धड्ढद;ोटी है, :ड्ढह;ाूण हत्:द्ृद्धड्डढ;ाा होती है :द्ृद्धड्डढ;ाानी ग:द्रद्ृद्वदड्डर्;ापात करा:द्ृद्धड्डढ;ाा जाता है। इ:द्ृद्धड्ड;ा प्रकार :द्रद्ृद्वदड्ड;ाारी अनर्थ हो रहा है। मेरा :द्ृद्धड्ड;ारकार :द्ृद्धड्ड;ो आग्रह है कि इ:द्ृद्धड्ड;ा कानून का ठीक ढंग :द्ृद्धड्ड;ो इंपीमेंटे:द्रठ्ठद्धठ्ठ;ान होना चाहि:द्ृद्धड्डढ;ो।
उपाध्:द्ृद्धड्डढ;ाक्ष महोद:द्ृद्धड्डढ;ा, मेरे पा:द्ृद्धड्ड;ा दर्जनों उदाहरण हैं, इ:द्ृद्धड्ड;ालि:द्ृद्धड्डढ;ो ऐ:द्ृद्धड्ड;ो :िठ्ठहद्वड्ढ;ा:ण्;ा:द्ृद्धड्डढ;ा पर ज्:द्ृद्धड्डढ;ाादा :द्ृद्धड्ड;ाम:द्ृद्धड्डढ;ा दि:द्ृद्धड्डढ;ाा जाना चाहि:द्ृद्धड्डढ;ो। मेरे पा:द्ृद्धड्ड;ा फिग:द्ृद्धड्डर्;ा हैं, आप कै:द्ृद्धड्ड;ो इ:द्ृद्धड्ड;ाका इंपलीमेंटे:द्रठ्ठद्धठ्ठ;ान कर :द्ृद्धड्ड;ाकेंगे। :द्ृद्धड्ड;ौक्:द्ृद्धड्ड;ा रे:द्रठ्ठद्धठ्ठ;ाो क्:द्ृद्धड्डढ;ाों कम हो रहा है? इ:द्ृद्धड्ड;ा कानून में अमेंडमेंट करके आप क्:द्ृद्धड्डढ;ाा करने :ठ्ठहद्वड्ढ;ााले हैं? मंत्री जी :द्ृद्धड्ड;:ठ्ठहद्वड्ढ;ा:द्ृद्धड्डढ;ां डाक्टर हैं। मैंने इनका कई जगह :द्रद्ृद्वदड्ड;ाा:ण्;ाण :द्ृद्धड्ड;ाुना है और मैं चाहता हूं कि :द्ृद्धड्ड;ादन के लोग :द्रद्ृद्वदड्ड;ाी इन :हद्वद्धद्धड्ढद;ाातों :द्ृद्धड्ड;ो अ:ठ्ठहद्वड्ढ;ागत हों। इ:द्ृद्धड्ड;ालि:द्ृद्धड्डढ;ो, मैं :द्ृद्धड्ड;ारकार को ख:हद्वद्धद्धड्ढद;ारदार करता हूं कि इ:द्ृद्धड्ड;ा प्रकार की प्र:ठ्ठहद्वड्ढ;ाृत्ति पर रोक लगनी चाहि:द्ृद्धड्डढ;ो, :द्ृद्धड्डढ;ादि :द्ृद्धड्डढ;ाह :हद्वद्धद्धड्ढद;ाात गज़ट में छप गई।
उपाध्:द्ृद्धड्डढ;ाक्ष महोद:द्ृद्धड्डढ;ा, मैंने जिन :िहद्वद्धद्धड्ढद;ान्दुओं को उठा:द्ृद्धड्डढ;ाा है, माननी:द्ृद्धड्डढ;ा मंत्री जी उनका ज:ठ्ठहद्वड्ढ;ाा:हद्वद्धद्धड्ढद;ा दें।
SHRIMATI MINATI SEN (JALPAIGURI): Mr. Deputy-Speaker, Sir, I thank you for giving me a chance to participate in this important debate.
Sir, as you know, the PNDT Act of 1994 came into force in the year 1996. But the Supreme Court order said:
"It appears that despite the PNDT Act being enacted by the Parliament five years back, neither the State Government nor the Central government has taken appropriate action."
* Sir, you know although there is a slight increase in the sex ratio in the recently held census, the aspect that alerts us, cautions us is that there is a decline in the sex ratio of those who are under the age of 6. This trend is perceptible in the well off States like Punjab, Delhi and Gujarat. As for example in Punjab, it is 777 females as against 1000 men, in Delhi the number is 965 and in Gujarat it is 875. * I know that a social movement is necessary against this evil and drastic changes are also needed in the Government policies.
The act of female feticide is possible because of the role played by a section of medical community who is advertising and encouraging sex determination tests for identifying the sex of foetus and for subsequently aborting the female foetus.
My proposal is that special court should be formed for speedy trial of the guilty and punishable measures should be taken against the couples who are having such investigation. Secondly, there should be mass education programme starting from college level regarding the menace of female infanticide.
There should be awareness campaign on population explosion, environmental problems, and atrocities on women. The matter of atrocities on women should be combined with the awareness against female infanticide. Patients register of ultrasound and amniocentesis centres should be regularly checked by health authorities to find out if there is any discrepancies.
*……..* Translation of the speech orginally delivered in Bengali Otherwise, rampant practice of sex determination will continue and that will lead to the abortion of female foetus and doctor will get escaped by citing that contraceptive failure as the reason for abortion which is legal.
* Sir, this year has been declared as the year of empowerment for women. But it is a matter of regret that the Government has failed to reserve one third seats for women either in Legislative Assemblies or in Parliament. It is indeed regrettable that the Government has not been able to introduce the Bill even in the House. So many Acts have been passed for the welfare of women after independence. But I am sorry to say that these Acts have not been implemented even after 54 years of independence due to the attitude of the Government and lack of political will. The condition of women has been deteriorating day by day politically, economically, socially or in her family life. They have been deprived of their Constitutional rights and have remained at the receiving end in every field. More than 20 lakh female foeticide have taken place till now. My party and I support this important Bill with the hope that the implementation of the Act will provide the women their long over due right and help them to live their life with dignity and honour.
Thank you once again for giving me the opportunity for participating in the discussion.* *……..* Translation of the speech originally delivered in Bengali THE MINISTER OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE (DR. C.P. THAKUR): Sir, first of all, I thank the hon. Members for taking keen interest in this Bill. It is a small Bill. Certain very good points have been raised by Shri Adhir Chowdhury, Dr. V. Saroja, Dr. Raghuvansh Prasad Singh, and Shrimati Minati Sen.
Sir, actually since this Bill was enacted, many new techniques, as pointed out by Shri Chowdhury, have come in practice. The hon. Member has made a mention about the medical termination of pregnancy. So, there is some conflict between the new technique about this Act and the medical termination of pregnancy also. So, we will be coming possibly in the next Session of Parliament with a very extensive Bill covering all these aspects. The Government is very active in this. The Government is taking help of the State Governments as also the religious leaders. Akaal Takht has done a commendable job in this regard. They have issued instructions to all their Gurudwaras that they should help in this programme. Many religious leaders have participated in it. So, we are very active. It is a social evil and it will have to be fought by all of us.
So, with these few words, I request that the Bill be taken up for consideration and passing.
MR. DEPUTY-SPEAKER: The question is:
"That the Bill to amend the Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (Regulation and Prevention of Misuse) Act, 1994, as passed by Rajya Sabha, be taken into consideration. "
The motion was adopted.
MR. DEPUTY-SPEAKER: The House will now take up clause-by-clause consideration of the Bill.
"That clause 2 stand part of the Bill."
The motion was adopted.
Clause 2 was added to the Bill.
Clause 1, the Enacting Formula and the long Title were added to the Bill.
DR. C.P. THAKUR: I beg to move:
"That the Bill be passed."
MR. DEPUTY-SPEAKER: The question is:
"That the Bill be passed."
The motion was adopted.