Sassoon General Hospital flouting PCPNDT norms?

PMC officials checked four sonography machines at the radiology department and three other departments on July 6 after the complaint. Officials found many violations in the record-keeping system. After the initial checks a notice was issued to Sassoon hospital. However, PMC has not taken any action yet, and has played down the matter.u00a0

"We had sent a notice regarding fulfillment of some norms according to PCPNDT Act. We have received their reply and they have cleared all the lacunae. There is no question of lodging a case," said Dr Kishor Pakhare, from PMC.

However, contrary to Dr Pakhare's claims, when MiD DAY visited Sassoon the following violations were noticed by the reporter: There was no registration certificate at the waiting area, the board that states that sex determination is a punishable offence was missing, non-availability of the Act book in local language, the board regarding the punishment for violators was missing from the Sonography room.

D G Kulkarni, superintendent of Sassoon Hospital said, "I don't have any information about it, I think around 90 per cent of the lacunae have been taken care of." However, a senior officer from the state PCPNDT department said, "PMC should have sent a notice and if the hospital does not comply, the civic body can seal the machines and file a case.u00a0