To save the girl child, MP govt makes sting ops official

Rs 50,000 reward if talk between decoy and doctor is recorded, double if it leads to conviction

Much-maligned sting operations have a golden chance to redeem themselves because the Madhya Pradesh government intends to use them extensively to curb female foeticide.

District Collectors, competent authority under the Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques Act, and Chief Medical Officers have been told to promote sting operations to help improve the sex ratio in favour of the missing girl child.

Those carrying out a sting operation will get a cash-reward of Rs 50,000 if the recorded conversation between the decoy and the doctor is validated. An additional reward of Rs 50,000 will be given if evidence collected on the sly leads to conviction. In case there is no tape-recording or video footage, spot verification by a competent authority will serve the purpose.

A circular issued by the state Public Health and Family Welfare Department states: 8220;Before the operation is conducted, the female decoy will have to give a written declaration that she is doing it for humanity and in public interest, and helping the competent authority voluntarily, without any prejudice.8221;

Even a woman forced into a sex-determination test will qualify for the reward and her deposition will be treated as a complaint against the doctor and her relatives. Evidence collected by the competent authority after making a spot visit will enable the woman to receive the reward.

The government justified the cash reward scheme for the effective implementation of the Act put into effect in 1996. Additional Collector Indore Renu Pant admitted it won8217;t be easy to carry out sting operations but said the reward scheme would definitely be a big draw. She said she was aware that a few sting operations carried out in the northern region had helped the administration.

Besides the sting operation, those alerting the administration about doctors/clinics advertising sex determination test will also qualify for the reward scheme.

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At 919 girls per 1000 boys, the sex ratio in Madhya Pradesh is 14 less than the national average of 933. Some of the worst performing districts include Bhind 832, Morena 837, Gwalior 853 and Datia 874.