Lok Sabha Question No. 973 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-07-21
Subject: Advertisements Pertaining to Prenatal Sex Determination
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: GEETHA KOTHAPALLI, RAKSHA NIKHIL KHADSE

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION N O. 973 TO BE ANSWERED ON  21 ST JULY, 2017

## ADVERTISEMENTS PERTA INING TO PRENATAL SE X DETERMINATION

## 973. SHRIMATI KOTHAPALLI GEETHA: SHRIMATI RAKSHATAI KHADSE:

Will the Minister of HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the online search engines Google, Yahoo and Microsoft are under an obligati check advertisement pertaining to prenatal sex determination content and the Supreme Court has directed them to develop in - house methods to prohibit such content for better implementation of Beti Bachao Beti Padhao Campaign and if so, the details thereof;
- (b)  whether  there  is  need  to develop  a technique  called  'auto  block'  which  prohibits advertisements on sex determination, if so, the details thereof and the steps being tak direction;
- (c)  whether  the  Hon'ble Supreme  Court  has  also  directed  the  Government  to  appoint  nodal agency to monitor websites to prohibit such advertisements and if so, the details thereof;
- (d)  the  steps  taken  by  the  Government  to  constitute  a  nodal  agency  for  screening advertisement s on TV, radio and in Newspaper; and
- (e) whether there is a need to take steps to see that the law of the land was complied wi decreasing sex ratio, if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE ( SMT. ANUPRIYA PATEL )

- (a): Search  engines  are  under  obligation  to  check  advertisement  and  have  assumed  a participative role in complying with section 22 of PC&PNDT Act.

Supreme Court vide order dated 19.09.2016 directed the search engines to develop i -house method to auto block the contents violative of section 22 of PC&PNDT Act.

- (b) : Hon'ble Supreme court vide its order dated 19.09.2016 directed the search engines to develop in house method/procedure for auto blocking the contents violative of section 22 PC&PNDT Act. A list of objectionable words was also provided and same were to be put on auto block by search engines.

Further,  in  compliance  of  the  order  passed  by  the  Hon'ble  Supreme  court,  in  house experts have been appointed by the search engines to check the violation of section 22. F the search engines shall not sponsor any advertisement as provided under sect ion 22 of the Act.

(c) : Hon'ble Supreme court in Writ Petition No 341 of 2008 vide order dated 16.11.2016 directed  the  Union  Of  India  to  constitute  a  Nodal  Agency  and  give  advertisement  in newspaper and TV and Radio that it has been created in purs uance of Hon'ble Court's order and anyone who comes across anything that has the nature of an advertisement or any impact identifying  a  boy  or  a  girl  in  any  method,  manner  or  mode  by  any  search  engine  shall brought to its notice.

In compliance of t he Court's directive, this Ministry has set - up a single point contact for the Nodal Agency to receive the complaints on violation of Section 22 of PC & PNDT Act 1994. Details of the Nodal Agency are Contact e - mail address for nodal agency: pcpndtcomplaints@nihfw.org

(d) : Nodal  agency  has  been  constituted  and  is  operational.    Public  Notices  for  cre awareness  on  Nodal  Agency  were  issued  in  various  news  papers  ,  TV  Channels  and  Radio calling upon the Public to report on any violation under section 22 of the PC&PNDT Act to t Nodal Agency so that appropriate action  is taken .

(e) : Nodal  agency  constituted  under  the  directions  of  the  Supreme  Court  is  ensuring compliance  of  the  law  by  informing  th e  violation  to  the  concerned  search  engines  who  are obliged  to  rectify  and  report  to  the  Nodal  Officer  within  36  Hours  of  the  receipt information from Nodal Agency in compliance of the order of Hon'ble Supreme court Further, Nodal officer appointed in the State/UTs under the Act are also entitled to communicate with search engines for the compliance of PC&PNDT Act .

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