Lucknow, July 14: Twelve ultrasound centres have been sealed in the Uttar Pradesh capital after nightlong surprise raids on 46 centres revealed that they were clandestinely doing sex-determination tests.

The crackdown was launched yesterday on instructions from the Union health ministry, which found in a survey that tests to kill female foetuses were rampant in the state’s western districts.

Several unregistered ultrasonographs — machines that produce images of what is inside the body — were seized from the centres. But no records of ultrasounds done or forms that have to be filled up before the test is taken were found.

“There were gross violations of rules in many of the centres we raided. If this is the condition in the state capital, it must be worse in the districts,” an employee in the office of the chief medical officer said.

The raids, headed by additional district magistrate J.P. Singh, will continue in the state, which has one of the worst sex ratios along with Punjab and Haryana. Sex-determination tests are banned in India.

“Raids on such centres and prosecution of those found to be violating the ban on sex determination tests will continue,” said Anil Kumar, an official who conducted the raids.

Last week, a team from the Union health ministry had sprung a surprise raid on Mayo Hospital in Gomtinagar, which had a signboard saying “Sex Determination Tests Available”.

When hospital officials misbehaved with the team, police were forced to intervene. Several unregistered ultrasonographs were seized from the hospital. An employee who tipped off other centres was suspended.

According to the 2001 census, there are 886 girls for every 1,000 boys in Uttar Pradesh, down from 927 in 1991. In Punjab, there are 798 girls and in Haryana 819, according to the 2001 census.

“It is wrong to think that female foeticide happens only in Punjab and Haryana. Uttar Pradesh is as bad,” said S. Neelam, who crusades against sex determination tests.

“A study we did in Uttar Pradesh has revealed that a growing number of people are aborting female foetuses. If we compare the 1991 and 2001 sex ratios, the number of girls in 14 districts has dipped very badly.”

According to the 2001 census, the number of girls (up to six years) in western Uttar Pradesh districts bordering Delhi are: Baghpat 847, Agra 849, Ghaziabad 851, Bulandshahar 868, Hathras 881, Aligarh 886 and Bareilly 899.

In the eastern districts, the figures are: Bijnaur 902, Farrukhabad 904, Allahabad 920, Ambedkar Nagar 943 and Barabanki 945.

Neelam said it was important to increase awareness among women in rich farmers’ families who crave for sons.