Bhubaneswar: The health and family welfare department has directed all district collectors and chief district medical officers to stop people from going for gender-based sex selection at the district and block level.

Health department principal secretary Pramod Kumar Meherda said the sex ratio has been a concern for the state. "Accordingly, the state interventions have been taken to improve the situation. It is once again urged to adopt multi-pronged approach in order to address gender biased sex selection in the districts," said Meherda. The health and family welfare department has also issued some action points to be taken at the district and block levels. Accordingly, the authorities have been asked to initiate strict action against offenders.

The inspection should be made periodically following norms and the report should be placed before the authorities for necessary action.

Besides, the department has also asked the district authorities to hire NGOs to hold campaigns in various places on the value for the girl child and sensitise the people against female foeticide.

The campaigns will be held at the community, ward and village levels.

The authorities will also have to monitor and analyse the situation during block-level meetings of gender segregated live births for identification of vulnerable blocks for intervention.

"We have issued the direction to the district authorities after getting complaints on gender-biased sex selection in urban and rural areas. The plan is to strengthen the existing mechanism," said an official of the health and family welfare department.

According to the 2011 Census, Odisha's sex ratio stands at 979 girls for every 1,000 boys. "Several reports revealed that such gender biased sex selection is rampant in semi-urban areas and not just in the rural belts. The health officials need to shift their focus on to the smaller towns to check this practice," said social worker Alok Mohanty.