The crackdown initiated by the Punjab Health Department against such centers who are conducting illegal sex determination tests have earned gainful results as in the period of less than 7 months, Health Department teams have been successful in arresting 60 offenders across the state who were violating the PC & PNDT Act and 14 sex determination machines were sealed. It was disclosed by Mr. Balbir Singh Sidhu, Health and Family Welfare Minister, Punjab in a press communiqué released here today.Divulging further Mr. Sidhu said that the during this drive conducted from November, 2018 to June, 2019 the health teams have unearthed illegal operations in some of the ultrasound & scanning centres and 18 FIRs have got been registered whereas 60 culprits have been arrested and 14 ultrasound machines were sealed. He said that the Health Department has further widened its scope of its activities to nab the offenders who are secretly conducting sex determinations tests. He said that working in this direction the Punjab Government has inked Memorandum of Understanding with an espionage agency. He said that this agency has conducted 19 sting operations till now.The Minister further said that Health Department has also appealed the public to support the government in nabbing such anti social elements. He said that a reward of Rs. 50,000 has also been announced for the informer who would give information of such sex determination tests being carried out at any scanning center. He said if FIR is registered against any erring ultrasound and scanning centre the decoy patient would also be rewarded with Rs. 1 lakh.Mr. Balbir Singh Sidhu said that in order to strike a fair balance in sex ratio, the Health Department would soon made it imperative for any pregnant mother to show her Mother & Child Security Card (Vaccination Card) whether she is going in private center or in government hospital for ultrasound test. He said that after this registration a pregnant mother would be eligible for undergoing ultrasound test in government or in private hospital.