Ranchi, Dec. 26: Private clinics with ultrasound facilities in the city have been issued notices following complaints of sex determination.

Additional chief medical officer today asked these clinics to register themselves under the Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PCPNDT) (Prohibition of Sex selection) Act, 1994.

The notice stated that the proprietors of the clinics with ultrasound facilities failing to register under the PCPNDT Act would be treated as violator and would invite forced closure of the respective clinics.

It also said that medicos found conducting sex determination tests or revealing the sex of the child after an ultrasound test would face prosecution under the law that would include a five-year jail term and a fine of Rs 50,000.

“The registration would enable us to know the actual number of ultrasound clinics operating in the city. At the same time, the health department would be in a position to enforce the ban on sex determination. We have received complaints of clinics conducting sex determination and hence this public notice,” said Geeta Kanth, the additional chief medical officer.

Kanth also said all ultrasound clinics located in the state capital have been directed to display boards stating that pre-natal sex determination is a criminal offence prominently outside their establishments.

Two separate messages have to be displayed outside all ultrasound clinics here. One message should read sex determination is a criminal offence and the other one should state female foeticide is a criminal offence. The two messages should be boldly written on display boards and placed outside the clinics.

Ranchi civil surgeon, Shyam Sunder Singh told The Telegraph that legal action has already been launched against two ultrasound clinics in the capital after it was discovered that they did not possess current registration under the PCPNDT Act.

“Both the clinics have also been sealed after a health department carried out surprise check,” Singh said.

The state suffers from a gender imbalance with 983 females against every 1,000 males.