Mysore/Mysuru: Following the cracking of female foeticide racket, heads have started to roll with Health and Family Welfare Minister Dinesh Gundurao ordering for the suspension of two Health Officers of the district.

Speaking to media persons during his visit to the now closed Mathaa Hospital at Udayagiri in city yesterday, where female foetuses were aborted by Dr. Chandan Ballal, the prime accused in the case arrested by the Police, the Minister said “We have started to initiate action against the Officers and staff of the Department for dereliction of duty and Taluk Health Officer (THO) Dr. Rajeshwari and the past Family Welfare Officer Dr. Ravi have been kept under suspension. The laxity on the part of both Dr. Rajeshwari and Dr. Ravi is palpable and hence the suspension witha pending inquiry.”

With the information available over possible nexus between the racketeers and few doctors and staff of the Department, senior Officers, Deputy Commissioner (DC) and Police Officers have been instructed to take action after conducting a detailed probe on the basis of available evidence, the Minister added.

The callousness on the part of Health and Family Welfare Department is clearly visible and there is nothing to hide about. What’s more worrying is that sex determination tests were conducted at Haadya village in Mandya coming under Melukote Assembly Constituency, said Minister Dinesh Gundurao.

Even though our Officers had cast a net to bust the racket four to five months ago, the accused had managed to give a slip, which shows the authorities had erred in doing a proper follow up, Health and Family Welfare Minister Dinesh Gundurao acknowledged making no bones in this regard.

THO faces Minister’s wrath for faux-pas

Health and Family Welfare Minister Dinesh Gundurao took Taluk Health Officer (THO) Dr.Rajeshwari to task for her faux-pas.

When the Minister asked Dr.Rajeshwari about since how many years Mathaa Hospital was functioning and whether female foeticide racket didn’t come to her notice, the latter quipped that ‘the hospital has been shut for two years.’ However, when the Minister enquired with the locals who had gathered at the spot, the locals said ‘the hospital shut doors only three months ago.’

Besides, the locals also brought to the notice of the Minister that she (Dr.Rajeshwari) had pasted a pre-dated notice (dated five months back) on the wall of the hospital two days ago. Irked over the attitude of the said Health Officer, the Minister took her to task, in the presence of Commissioner of Health and Family Welfare Department D. Randeep, Deputy Commissioner Dr. K.V. Rajendra, City Police Commissioner B. Ramesh and DHO Dr. P.C. Kumaraswamy.