Ashwini Kumar Choubey and Abdul Bari Siddiqui

Patna, March 30: The Assembly witnessed some tense moments today after health minister Ashwini Kumar Choubey conceded that the Patna civil surgeon had allowed the reopening of Maurya X-ray and Ultrasound Centre, Kankerbagh, and Ford Hospital and Research Centre, Khemnichak, in the state capital.

Replying to a question of the Leader of the Opposition, Abdul Bari Siddiqui, Choubey said the civil surgeon had taken a written undertaking from the two centres that they would not repeat their mistakes and had ordered the removal of the seal.

On February 11, a team from the National Inspection and Monitoring Committee, ministry of health and family welfare, found the centres violating the provisions of the Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Technique (Prohibition of Sex Selection), Act, 1994. The team had ordered the sealing of the centres and also instituting of FIRs against the promoters.

On March 6, the executive director of State Health Society, Bihar, Sanjay Kumar, issued a showcause notice to the Patna civil surgeon, stressing that the re-opening of the centre was a violation of PC & PNDT Act and that the civil surgeon was supposed to file a case and the judiciary had to take a decision on the centres. Sanjay had also asked the civil surgeon to initiate legal action against the centres.

“The civil surgeon sent his clarification on Thursday evening. We are studying his reply and will take appropriate action,” the minister said.

Siddiqui said the violation of the act could lead to three years in jail and Rs 10,000 as fine. “The civil surgeon has helped tamper the evidence by re-opening the seal of the closed centres. An FIR should be instituted against him too,” Siddiqui said.

Choubey refused to comment on any action against the civil surgeon stressing that action would be taken only after the department studies his clarification.

Siddiqui told Choubey that he had declared the suspension of three civil surgeons. “But your department did not comply with your orders,” he said. Speaker Uday Narain Choudhary deferred the question stating that the minister would give a full reply after the health department took a decision on the civil surgeon.