Advertisement
NAYAGARH, September 5, (Ramakrishna Rath): Accusing the district administration of blatant negligence that has allegedly pushed Nayagarh’s child sex ratio into a severe crisis, the District Congress Committee (DCC) on Sunday threatened to file a criminal lawsuit against the District Collector and the Chief District Medical Officer (CDMO). 
Nayagarh Sex Ratio Crisis: Congress Threatens Lawsuit Against Collector & CDMO


Addressing a press conference, District Congress President and senior advocate Ranjit Dash alleged that an unholy nexus between unscrupulous ultrasound clinic owners, money-minded doctors, and indifferent officials has revived the horrors of illegal sex determination in the district.
Evoking the dark memories of the infamous 2007 Nayagarh female foeticide case—which is still sub-judice in the Women's Court—Dash claimed that the District Appropriate Authority (DAA), comprising the Collector and the CDMO, has completely failed to enforce the Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PC-PNDT) Act and the statutory guidelines of the 'Beti Bachao Beti Padhao' (BBBP) scheme.
"We will issue a 15-day statutory notice to the Collector and the CDMO. Following this, a criminal case will be filed against them under Section 28 (B) of the PC-PNDT Act in the court of the Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC) for their gross dereliction of duty," Dash announced.

Alarming Drop in Sex Ratio

The Congress leader highlighted that per the 2011 Census, Nayagarh had the lowest child sex ratio in Odisha at 855 girls per 1,000 boys. "Currently, the administration is deliberately withholding official data. However, unconfirmed reports suggest the ratio has plummeted to an alarming 780 girls per 1,000 boys. If true, this is a disastrous situation for Nayagarh," he stated.
Statutory Violations on Paper
The DCC laid out a series of alleged statutory violations by the district health administration:
  • Fake Inspections: While the law mandates physical verification of all registered genetic, ultrasound, and imaging clinics at least twice a year (every six months), the Congress alleged that these inspections happen only on paper. The party challenged the Collector to release video footage of any recent inspections.
  • Defunct Committees: Under the operational guidelines, the District Inspection and Monitoring Committee (DIMC) must meet monthly to review inspection schedules, audit rosters, and scrutinize 'Form-F' anomalies by the 5th of every month. The party claims these critical reviews are not being conducted.
  • Missing Advisory Body: Dash accused the administration of violating Sections 17(5) and 17(6) of the Act by failing to form the mandatory 8-member District Advisory Committee. He demanded the Collector make the names of the committee members public, if it even exists.
  • Unregistered Counseling Centers: Violating Section 18(1), clinics and hospitals—allegedly including the District Headquarters Hospital—are operating without registered 'Genetic Counseling Centers.'

Medical Malpractice and Overcrowded Clinics

The Congress also exposed an alleged illegal healthcare syndicate operating across the district. According to Dash, radiologists and doctors from Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Berhampur, and Angul are conducting ultrasounds in Nayagarh without the mandatory No Objection Certificates (NOCs) from their primary employers.
"A doctor requires at least 15 minutes to properly conduct an ultrasound on a pregnant woman and fill out 'Form-F'. Yet, ultrasound clinics in Nayagarh are clearing 150 to 200 patients within designated hours. How is this mathematically or medically possible without bypassing legal protocols?" Dash questioned.

Furthermore, the party alleged that several government and retired doctors are running illegal private practices from their residences without Clinical Establishment registration, sometimes even during their official duty hours. Despite prior written complaints to the CDMO regarding this, no investigations or actions have been initiated.
The press conference was attended by prominent Block Congress Presidents, including Hasim Khan (Nayagarh), Purnachandra Parida (Odagaon), Bulu Parida (Daspalla), and Ashok Kumar Nayak (Nuagaon).