Mysore/Mysuru: In a significant development, Health and Family Welfare Department has decided to give a cash prize of Rs. 50,000 for those who provide inform related to persons and hospitals involved in killing female foetuses, said District Health Officer (DHO) Dr. P.C. Kumaraswamy.

Speaking to SOM, DHO Dr. Kumaraswamy said: “The Department will take several stringent measures to check female foeticide. Prior to this, a workshop has been planned on a bigger scale on next Wednesday or Thursday, for 1,800 ASHA workers of Mysuru district and 1,600 staff of Health and Family Welfare Department. They will be sensitised over actions to be taken to prevent female foeticide.”

The general public will also be involved in taking preventive measures in the next stage, by creating awareness among them effectively through media. In the later stage, announcement related to cash prize of Rs. 50,000 to those individuals who come forth with the information related to female foeticide racket, will be made. But the information should be authentic and secrecy will be maintained about the informers, added DHO Dr. Kumaraswamy.

Deputy Commissioner has instructed to complete the operation to trace quacks in two months. Soon after the inspection of scanning centres, the operation to identify quacks will be taken up. Some of the quacks were already identified and notice was served on them. But they claimed to have obtained certificate from medical institutions in several places including Kolkata. Some of them have also moved Court questioning the notice issued to them, said Dr. Gopinath, Family Welfare Officer, District Health and Family Welfare Department.