Budgam sitting on environmental time bomb?

17 brick kilns, 27 stone crushers function illegally, 54 licenses issued in 3 yrs

SYED ALI SAFVI

BUDGAM, Nov 27: Central Kashmir’s Budgam district has also been dubbed as “Buthgam” (village of brick kilns) for its ubiquitous brick kilns that have virtually brought this district on the verge of environmental catastrophe.

In brazen violation of environmental laws and in absence of regulatory guidance, mushroom growth of brick kilns in the district has been threatening the environment and posing a threat to public health.

According to official sources, at least 17 brick kilns and 27 stone crushers are running in the district without license, making a mockery of the district administration.

As per the official statistics available with Kashmir Times, 10 brick kiln owners have been running their business in Budgam Tehsil without any license for the last several years. These illegal brick kilns include two each at Chandipora, Chitroo Dangarpora, and one each at Ichkoot, Waterwani, Hardu Batapura, Labertal, Putlibagh and Wahabpora.

Similarly, as per the official statistics, seven brick kilns are running illegally in Chadoora tehsil, including three at Rakh Shalina, and one each at Qanoongopora, Beegam, Yari Kalan, and Kathigund.
Pertinently, throwing all environmental norms to the wind, the authorities issued license to 54 brick kilns in a span of three years from 2007 to 2009, which include 31 in Chadoora tehsil, 18 in Beerwah tehsil, and five in Budgam tehsil.

According to official sources, Budgam district has a total of 204 brick kilns. However, unofficial sources place this number between 300 and 350. Significantly, finance minister Abdul Rahim Rather’s home tehsil - Chrar-e Shraief, and recently carved out tehsil of Khag are the only two tehsils in the district which have been spared by brick kiln mafia.

Environmentalists are concerned about the mushroom growth of brick kilns and stone crushers in the district. Worried, they have warned that unless urgent solutions are prescribed and implemented to keep a check on brick kilns, Budgam may be sitting on an environmental “time bomb”.

It is pertinent to mention here that the Budgam district administration had in April this year, identified 44 brick kilns for “violation of relevant laws and rules”. However, the much-talked about drive against the brick kilns came to a sudden halt, reasons best known to the authorities.

The official statistics further reveals that there are 27 stone crushers functioning without license in the district. Of the 27 illegal stone crushers, 16 are at Lasjan, 10 at Rakhshalina, and one at Shalina.

The unchecked, mushroom growth of brick kilns and stone crushers speaks volumes about the callous attitude of the district administration that has miserably failed to put the brakes ecological vandalism.

According to official sources, a section of government officials are working hand in glove with the brick kiln mafia.

Is govt discouraging people from using RTI Act?

Halfhearted implementation of RTI Act -IV

* RTI Application fee is Rs 50 in J&K, Rs 10 in other states

* Photostat charge is Rs 10 per page in J&K as against Rs 2 in rest of India

SYED ALI SAFVI

SRINAGAR, Nov 2: The RTI Act was enacted to bring transparency and accountability in the government and bureaucracy, and to enable the common man to monitor the functioning of departments. However, the state government seems hell bent on dissuading people from using the Act.

The state government has fixed very high RTI application fee and photocopy charges as compared to other states, thereby discouraging people from filing RTI applications.

The RTI application fee is Rs 50 in Jammu and Kashmir while in other states of India, it is a mere Rs 10. Similarly, photocopy charge is Rs 10 per page as against Rs 2 per page in rest of India.

Despite Chief Information Commission’s recommendation and chief minister, Omar Abdullah’s assurance vis-à-vis slashing of RTI application fee and Photostat charges, nothing has been done so far.

Chief Information Commissioner, GR Sufi, said that some sections in the bureaucracy are under an impression that high fees would reduce the quantity of applications.

“They are under the wrong impression. If a person gets benefited from RTI Act, he can even pay Rs 1000 as application fee,” Sufi said.

He said that after assuming office, he has been asking the state government to slash the application fee and Photostat charges.

“Since the first day, I have been advocating this. I have written many times to the government and even openly said in public that it would have been proper to keep Rs 10 as application fee,” he said.

Dr Raja Muzaffar Bhat, convener J&K RTI movement, questioned the reason for fixing Rs 50 as application fee.

“RTI enables people to seek information. It (RTI) is not meant for revenue generation,” he said.

“Jammu and Kashmir is a conflict zone. Our economy has been badly shattered. By charging high application fee and Photostat charges, the government is actually discouraging people who want to seek information under RTI Act,” Muzaffar said. “RTI Act 2004 was a week act, but it had one plus point. The then government had fixed Rs 5 as application fee.”

He said the government of Haryana had recently reduced application fee and Photostat fee from Rs 50 to Rs 10 and from Rs 10 to Rs 2 respectively.

Muzaffar said that a delegation of RTI activists from Kashmir valley and Jammu had called on the chief minister, Omar Abdullah, in January this year.

“We urged him (CM) to get the application fee and Photostat charges reduced and keep it at par with other states,” Muzaffar said. “The chief minister readily agreed and assured us that he will take up the matter in the cabinet, but nothing has been done I this regard.”

Muzaffar said that most of the PIOs and APIOs have no idea about the modes of payment of application fee.

He said that he and his colleagues have faced some technical problems on ground as far as depositing of application fee is concerned.

“There are five modes of payment of application fee, but none of them is proper. For example, Rs 50 stamp paper is sold at Rs 70 in Kargil so the applicant has to pay Rs 20 more than the amount of actual fee,” he said. “Similarly, Rs 50 stamp paper is sold at Rs 55 in other districts.”

He said Indian Postal Order (IPO) of Rs 50 is also not available at all post offices.

“IPOs are only available at district post offices or central post office,” he said. “Even purchasing a bank draft form is not feasible at times. Some times you have to wait hours together in banks.”

Muzaffar said that his organisation had suggested cash as a mode of payment.

“Cash will be the best mode of payment. For that government needs to publish separate receipt books for RTI. Separate account should be created by public authorities at tehsil and district level,” he said.

Govt not keen to conduct workshops; PIOs, APIOs of 3 districts yet to receive trainings

Halfhearted implementation of RTI Act - III

SYED ALI SAFVI

SRINAGAR, Oct 24: The RTI Act in the state has turned into a classical case of much ado about nothing with the state government showing minimum interest in promoting and fully enforcing the law in the state.

More than 31 months have passed since the enactment of the RTI Act in the state, the government has done little to train Public Information Officers (PIOs), Assistant Public Information Officers (APIOs) and to conduct workshops at district and tehsil levels in the state.
According to the RTI Act, the state government is duty-bound to conduct awareness programmes, workshops to aware public about the law. The Act also obligates government to encourage public authorities to participate and organise awareness programmes and workshops at their levels.

“The government may, to the extent of availability of financial and other resources, develop and organise educational programmes to advance the understanding of the public, in particular of disadvantaged communities as to how to exercise the right contemplated under the Act,” reads Section 23 (1) of the J&K RTI Act 2009.

According to reliable sources, the state government has received lot of funds for giving trainings to PIOs and APIOs and to conduct workshops at tehsil, district level to aware people about the Act.

The law was enacted to empower people, but most of the people are still unaware about the benefits of the Act, courtesy government’s reluctant attitude towards sensitising and awaring people about the rights and usage of RTI Act.

“Not a single RTI workshop has been organised independently by district administration at district level in the valley,” said an RTI activist.

According to sources, the state government has not provided money to district headquarters for conducting RTI workshops for general public.

“The RTI Act is of no use if the common masses are not made aware of the benefits of the Act,” said a senior state bureaucrat.

The sources said last year state government had allotted Rs 5 lakh to Institute of Management and Public Administration (IMPA), which is the nodal agency for implementation of RTI training, for giving training to PIOs and APIOs in every district. However, not a single penny has been allotted for conducting RTI workshops for general public.

Almost a year has passed, there are still three districts in the valley – Anantnag, Pulwama, Baramulla - where PIOs and APIOs have not yet received training.

“We give one-day training capsule to PIOs and APIOs at district level. Hopefully by the end of December, all districts will be covered,” Associate Professor at IMPA, Dr Jehan Ara Jabeen, who gives training to PIOs and APIOs told Kashmir Times.

She said that the central government has been very liberal in funding RTI trainings.

“DoPT is the funding agency for all these courses. Government of India (GoI) has lot of money available for RTI, but the problem is that there are no takers,” Dr Jabeen said. “Most of our training courses are sponsored by GoI.”

She said that the training programmes in districts are only attended by PIOs and APIOs.

“On an average 40-45 PIOs/APIOs attend training programmes in districts,” she added.

Even after 31 months, govt yet to publish RTI user guide

Halfhearted implementation of RTI Act - II

SYED ALI SAFVI

SRINAGAR, Oct 23: The experts attribute partial implementation of RTI Act 2009 to inadequate training coupled with “non-serious attitude” of the public authorities vis-à-vis RTI Act.

Even as the Act obligates state government to compile a RTI user guide in the officical language of the state within 18 months from the commencement of the Act, the state government has not yet come out with such guide even after over 31 months.

Moreover, the government has not published a single pamphlet or advertisement in newspapers, as required under the Act, in the official language to create awareness about the RTI Act.

“The government shall, within eighteen months from the commencement of the Act, compile in the official language of the State a guide containing such information, in an easily comprehensible form and manner, as may reasonably be required by a person who wishes to exercise any right specified in the Act,” reads Section 23(2) of J&K RTI Act 2009.

“In absence of the user guide - which would have information like how to file RTI application, application fees, commission’s address etc – most of the people are still unaware about the benefits of the act,” said Raja Muzaffar, convener J&K RTI Movement. “It speaks volumes about government’s non-seriousness in fully implementing RTI Act in the state.”

When contacted, commissioner/ secretary General Administration Department (GAD), Mohammad Sayeed Khan, said that the guide would be ready within four months.

“CIC (Chief Information Commission) has entrusted the work of translation to university of Kashmir (KU). The translation is in process and will be completed within three to four months,” Khan told Kashmir Times.

Asked about the reason for delay in publication of the guide, Khan said that there was need for orientation and sensitization before compiling a guide.

“This is one of the responsibilities of CIC. They can not only pass directions,” he said. “You are right. It (user guide) requires special focus.”

Muzaffar Bhat said: “It needs political will to implement RTI Act, but unfortunately that seems missing in case of Jammu and Kashmir.”

Associate Professor at IMPA, Dr Jehan Ara Jabeen, who gives training to Public Information Officers (PIOs) and Assistant Public Information Officer (APIOs), said that for the optimum implementation of the RTI Act in the state, Section 4(1) of the Act, which calls for voluntary disclosure, should be properly implemented in all the departments, corporations etc.

“I believe it is the responsibility of public authorities, head of the departments to ensure implementation of Section 4(1). It is not to be done by PIOs,” she said. “Implementation of Section 4 will drastically reduce the number of RTI applications.”

“In rural areas, people mostly seek information regarding BPL list, implementation of NREGA, etc. If these informations are readily available with the concerned departments then people not need to file application for it,” said an RTI activist.

Pertinently, only GAD, Police department and to some extent IMPA have put necessary information, as required under RTI Act Section 4(1), on their respective websites. Websites of other departments, corporations are silent on proactive disclosure.

But even that is not enough. The law says that every information should be disseminated widely through notice boards, newspapers, public announcements, media broadcasts, internet or any other means.

“Unfortunately, even the public authorities have not taken RTI act seriously,” said Dr Jabeen. “Unless Section 4 is implemented, it will be difficult and moreover time consuming for PIOs or APIOs to compile information every now and then,” she said.

She said that state government has to have a separate component for RTI Act in the budget.

“There are some technical flaws. Suppose, information to a BPL applicant is to be given free of cost as per the act, but the PIOs don’t know where to deduct the expenditure from. Because there is no separate budget for such expenditures,” she said.

PIOs have no idea about proactive disclosure

Halfhearted implementation of RTI Act-I

Two years on, govt departments yet to adhere to mandatory Section 4(1) of RTI Act

SYED ALI SAFVI

SRINAGAR, Oct 22: Notwithstanding appointments, albeit delayed, of two state information commissioners, the state government has been doing little to implement RTI Act in letter and spirit in the state.
Even as the state government boasts of being the pioneer in enacting RTI Act, the government departments are not fully adhering to this Act.

Call it lack of information or halfhearted implementation of RTI Act, a major chunk of government departments are yet to adhere to the section 4 (1) of the J&K RTI Act 2009, which calls for proactive disclosure.
According to the RTI Act 2009, all departments, ministries, boards, corporations, companies and banks set up or controlled by the state or central governments are duty bound to voluntarily give, within 125 days of commencement of the Act, information regarding name, designation, powers, duties, responsibilities, and salaries of all the officers and employees; list of all categories of all the records available in their offices; proposed budget, allocation of funds and reports about their spending; the manner of implementation of subsidy schemes, list of beneficiaries and amount of funds sanctioned to them; name and designation of Public Information Officers (PIOs), Assistant Public Information Officers (APIOs), a directory of its official employees, et al.
The act says that every information should be disseminated widely through notice boards, newspapers, public announcements, media broadcasts, internet or any other means.
J&K RTI Act was enforced in the state with effect from March 20, 2009. Forget 125 days, the state government has failed to ensure implementation of proactive (voluntary) disclosure even after more than two years.
Interestingly, most of the PIOs do not have even a slight idea about the proactive disclosure.
The PIOs, according to the Act, are duty bound to give all information to the applicant on demand. Moreover, applicants need not to submit a written application or pay application fees for seeking information that comes under the ambit of voluntary disclosure.
Convener J&K RTI Movement, Raja Muzaffar, had filed an RTI application with General Administrative Department (GAD), seeking information about the details of government offices which have adhered to the proactive disclosure, section 4(1) of RTI Act 2009.
Although only eight per cent of the departments have responded to the application, but the response given by the concerned PIOs is appalling.
Replying to the question of implementation of Section 4(1) in the department, PIO Directorate of Geology and Mining, who is also Deputy Director Administration Geology and Mining department, vide letter no C-Adm/DGM/RTI/JC/12-14, dated 26-09-2011 writes: “This departments has received 11 applications under RTI Act and all of them stand disposed off.”
To a similar query, Assistant General Manager cum PIO, J&K Handloom Development Corporation vide letter number HDC/ADM/17/707-08, dated 07-10-2011 replies: “J&K Handloom Development Corporation has updated its website with necessary information about working of the corporation.”
The PIO further writes in his reply that the “digitization of records does not apply to Handloom Development Corporation”.
Similarly, PIO Transport department, civil secretariat Srinagar, vide letter no TR-24/GNL/RTI/2006, dated 22-09-2011 writes: “motor Vehicle department, State Motor Garages, State Road Transport Corporation have received so many applications under RTI Act and all of them have been disposed by the concerned PIOs within stipulated period of time”.
The PIO transport department has admitted that the department has not yet digitized its records.
Regarding implementation of proactive disclosure, PIO Soil and Water Management (Command Area development Jammu) writes: “Proactive disclosure pertains to GAD, hence submitted for favour of information”.
PIO Directorate of Horticulture Kashmir writes in his reply vide PUR/231/111/11429-30; dated 22-09-2011: “10 applications have been received by various PIOs and all of them have been disposed off”.
This reporter contacted many senior bureaucrats to enquire about the implementation of Section 4(1) of RTI Act 2009.
When contacted, DDC Srinagar, Mehraj-ud-Din Kakroo, said, “It is in process of getting activated, but it has started.”
“We are preparing to put all the required information on our website. We are just fine tuning it and within a couple of days, you will see all the information on our website,” he said.
DDC Budgam, Mohammad Rafi, said that the instructions were already in place.
“We have issued a circular long back directing all the departments to voluntarily put on display the information of all the ongoing works,” he said.

Rotational CM: More than meets the eye

JKPCC ‘united’ on mid-term change of guard

SYED ALI SAFVI

SRINAGAR, Oct 18: The senior leaders in state and central Congress may be doing their best to brush aside the questions about the possibility of mid-term change of power in Jammu and Kashmir, but the ambitions brewing in the rank and file of the state Congress unit are too strong to put a lid on.
After AICC general secretary, Rahul Gandhi, it was the turn of visiting union minister and former J&K chief minister, Ghulam Nabi Azad, to face questions from state Congress leaders and workers on the issue of rotational chief minister-ship in J&K.
Pertinently, as Omar Abdullah-led government is nearing three years, the state Congress has upped the demand for change of power in the state. Interestingly, after being dogged by infighting and bickering for too long, the J&K Pradesh Congress Party (JKPCC) seems united on the issue of mid-term change of power.
The issue of rotation of chief minister has assumed greater significance in the wake of Congress workers’ complaint against “deep-rooted corruption” and “mis-governance” in the state. They also blamed the government for not treating Congress workers at par with NC workers.
Even the state Congress chief, Prof Saif-ud-Din Soz, has publically admitted that Congress workers were being ill-treated by their coalition partner.
Azad, who was on a three-day visit to the state, was all fire against the Omar Abdullah-led government during his visit to restive Bhaderwah.
According to the party insiders, the state Congress leaders and workers apprised Azad of their grievances with the NC-led regime during his meeting with them at Nehru guest house here.
Sources said that Congress workers told Azad that the government was not treating them at par with NC workers.
“The (Congress) workers also castigated Congress ministers for not paying heed to them,” said the party insiders.
Unlike 2010, the mood at 10 Janpath seems to have changed. This can be gauged from the response of AICC general secretary, Rahul Gandhi, when he was asked about the issue of rotational chief minister-ship during his recent visit to the valley.
Not ruling out the possibility of change of guard in the state, Rahul recently said, “It (rotational of chief minister) is to be decided by the party high command.”
Pertinently, the Gandhi scion had offered all out support for the beleaguered Abdullah scion when the valley was reeling under unprecedented civil unrest last year and thus punctured a campaign to replace Omar Abdullah.
“It is true that most of the decisions within the Congress party are taken mainly by the few top leaders - and this is more true about Kashmir. For this state, the decision lies with the High command only,” says Rekha Chowdhary, noted political analyst. “Unless there is a clear direction from above, one would not know what is going to happen.”
Ever since National Conference-Congress coalition took over the reins of the government in the state, the coalition functioning has been marred by recurrent tussle between the two historically estranged parties.
The Omar Abdullah led coalition government started on a rather uneasy note as the two partied found it tough to sit together to chalk out a common minimum programme (CMP), outlining the goals of the coalition.
The 32-month-old coalition has witnessed the two parties, more often, locking horns with each other on a range of issues including the mid-term change of guard in the state.
“Government seems to be functioning only on papers. State Congress unit is losing its credibility at the cost of misdeeds of National Conference,” president J&K Pradesh Youth Congress, Shoaib Lone told Kashmir Times. “Enough is enough! It’s high time that Congress takes over the reins of the government in its hands.”
Lone said that the constituencies of Congress MLAs have been ignored by the NC led government.
“Direct recruitments by police were done in only three constituencies in the state and all the three constituencies were won by NC party,” he said.
The fate of R&B portfolio, which still lies vacant, can serve as the classical example of coalition (mis)functioning.
The Congress high command had asked then R&B minister, GM Saroori, to step down on August 25 last year following the alleged impersonation of his daughter in entrance examination.
Ever since, the portfolio lies vacant. Thirteen months on, the Congress is yet to decide on Saroori’s successor. The portfolio is presently lying with the chief minister.
A senior state Congress leader said that the party workers were not satisfied with the party’s coalition partner.
“There are genuine development grievances. Even NREGA, IAY are not been properly distributed,” he said.
For Omar Abdullah, nothing seems to be going right. From his personal life to public life, he seems to be dogged by controversies. The ship of Omar Abdullah government already finds itself in troubled waters. If the issue of recovery of over 2000 unnamed graves was not enough, the government landed itself into yet another controversy over the alleged custodial death of ruling NC worker.
The opposition has also upped the ante against the government with state’s principal opposition party, People’s Democratic Party (PDP) demanding resignation of Omar Abdullah, NC president, Farooq Abdullah, and MoS Home, Nasir Aslam Wani.

Whimsical implementation of PNDT Act

Fate of 215 sealed clinics uncertain

No challan yet against 2 centres for performing SDT, abortions

SYED ALI SAFVI/ARVIND SHARMA

SRINAGAR/JAMMU, Oct 15: The fate of 215 ultra-sound clinics/centres, sealed for violation of various provisions of PNDT Act across J&K, still hangs in balance, courtesy the whimsical implementation of PNDT Act by the helmsmen.
Meanwhile, the challan is yet to be presented in the court in case of those two clinics of Jammu province against which criminal cases were filed for conducting Sex Determination Tests (SDT) and abortion thereof.
Under drive for PNDT Act implementation, intensified after the projection of an alarming decline in sex ratio across J&K in Census 2011 report, a total of 215 ultra-sound clinics have been sealed in the state.
In Kashmir, 200 ultra-sound clinics/centres have been sealed while in Jammu province 15 clinics/ centres have been sealed for violation of PNDT Act provisions other than conducting sex-determination tests and abortion.
According to Director Health Services Jammu Dr Madhu Khullar, during the period between April 1 to September 30, the health department functionaries inspected 61 ultra-sound clinics/centres in Jammu province while in Jammu district only 17 clinics/centres were inspected.
Out of 61 centres/clinics inspected, 25 were closed for violation of rules under PNDT Act. Out of 25, 15 are still closed whereas nine were allowed to operate after they fulfilled formalities. One centre in Billawar was allowed to function following a court direction. In the entire Jammu province, a total of 80 ultra-sound clinics/centres have been registered under PNDT Act.
Besides these 15 sealed centres, two centres were closed for conducting sex determination tests and abortions under PNDT Act this year in Akhnoor (June 12, 2011) and R S Pura (September 13, 2011) in Jammu province.
“Regarding the status of R S Pura centre (Mata Santo Devi ultrasound clinic), it is still closed. Case stands registered against the doctor and the parents in this case and the investigation is still on. As far as Akhnoor clinic, which was an OPD clinic, is concerned, the doctor has been allowed to function by the department subject to the outcome of police investigation,” stated the health department authorities.
As per the police version, in case of Akhnor centre, the case is ready for challan as the status report of clinic/centre as whether it was registered or not is awaited from the Director Health. “In this case the arrested government doctor was later bailed out. Clinic is sealed,” the police added.
Similarly in case of R S Pura clinic/centre also, the case is ready for challan. “It is pending due to certain technicalities because we wanted to make the case fool proof before presenting the challan in this case where there are five accused who later got bail from Munsif R S Pura. The clinic was sealed and their licence was cancelled,” the police informed about the status quo.
In case of R S Pura, for the first time in the state, a ‘lady’ doctor was among three persons arrested under the PNDT Act. A Punjab based couple, which got foetus aborted after the sex determination, was also been arrested in a raid in a house in Ward No.9 on September 8, 2011. Two employees of the Health Department namely Santosh Kumari, a nurse posted in a health institution at Dablehar and her husband Ashok Kumar, a Junior Health Inspector, were arrested for illegally conducting abortion at their residence.
From their residence, suction machines and other medical equipments were also recovered and accordingly both were booked under Section 312 and 316 RPC and 3/8 Nursing Homes and Clinical Establishment Act.
Director Health Services, Dr Madhu Khullar, after going through the FIR lodged at R S Pura Police in this regard, placed both the officials under suspension.
During the course of police investigation, Mamta, a resident of Gurdaspur (Punjab), who got foetus aborted and her husband Ajay Kumar were questioned and they revealed that sex was determined at Mata Santo Devi Memorial Ultrasound Center in R S Pura town.
Though the ultrasound clinic was found registered under PNDT Act, 2002 yet the violation of J&K Preconception and Prenatal Sex Selection/ Determination (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, 2002 was detected. Accordingly, the ultrasound center was sealed and the registration was cancelled.
Dr Monika, wife of Dr Gagan Bhagat, who had conducted the sex determination was immediately arrested. She could not produce any document of her qualification as doctor.
‘Doctor’ Monika and two employees of the Health Department were booked under PNDT Act, Section 312, 309, 316 RPC.
In case of Akhnoor centre, police and health department had raided and sealed Dogra Nursing Clinic at Daskal Morh, Akhnoor and also arrested the owner, Doctor Krishan Lal on June 12, 2011.The police had sealed the clinic and arrested the doctor.
During raid, some medicines meant for government Hospital only were also recovered. The arrested doctor Krishan Lal was posted at Migrant Camp Mishriwala.
As far as other clinics/centres, which were sealed for violation of other PNDT provisions, are concerned, some were sealed on the ground that they did not have stipulated space of 500 square meters “as given in PNDT Act.”
Though there is no mention of the claimed 500 square meters space in the PNDT Act.
“USG clinics should have adequate space to accommodate USG scanner, printer, CVT, table and couch for patient. The room should be large enough to allow trolley to be wheeled in the patient to be transferred to the couch,” reads the Act (Page no 28 (3) Para 1).
Some clinics were sealed as the clinic owners could not produce relevant document for averting their seizure. Many clinics had to face sealing because they were not duly registered under PNDT Act.
Many owners of ultrasound clinics which have been facing government action complained that they had applied for registration for long, but the files remained gathering dust with the advisory committees for the past many years as the same were non-functional.