Hindustan Times 27.06.2013
Mumbai : BMC to inspect surrogacy clinics in one day
Starting July, the civic body’s health department will survey
assisted reproduction technology (ART) clinics and genetic counselling
centres.
The decision came after nonprofit Lek Ladki Abhyaan, led by advocate
Varsha Deshpande, met additional municipal commissioner Manisha
Mhaiskar.
Last week, Deshpande had registered a complaint under the Pre
Conception Pre Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PCPNDT) Act, asking the
Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to probe news reports stating
actor Shahrukh Khan and his wife were having a baby boy through
surrogacy. Sex determination is illegal in India.
“The delegation has brought to our notice that there are many groups
operating on the fringe that may not be registered,” said Mhaiskar. “We
will hopefully finish the survey in two weeks.”
Following the inquiry, unconfirmed reports indicate the couple has commissioned the surrogacy in London.
“As long as they hold Indian passports, the law is applicable to
them. But if the doctor is from a country that allows sex determination,
the Indian government cannot do much,” said advocate Amit Karkhani.`
Deshpande claimed the BMC had no records of IVF centres. “Jaslok has
not submitted records for ten years. This shows the actor could have got
the surrogacy and nothing was recorded.”
