Government has banned 240 websites offering escort services on the recommendation of an expert committee under the Ministry of Home Affairs.

"The order to block 240 escorts websites was issued to internet service providers on Monday on recommendations made by an expert committee under the Ministry of Home Affairs," an IT Ministry official told PTI.

He said that as per the process, complaints or representations are made by aggrieved persons or party before the expert committee, which then takes a call on it.

However, industry sources criticised the move, calling it directionless.

"Content of all the websites cannot be blocked. The order has been issued without going into technical nitty gritty around it. If a website changes the name or link slightly, it will again start working," said an executive of an internet service provider (ISP).

He said there are mobile numbers on the websites which should be tracked and culprits nabbed to control such activities.

The industry source said most of the websites in the order are somewhere linked to Mumbai.

"Government should also make efforts to stop escorts advertisements in newspapers. It is a half-hearted approach to resolve a real problem. Only Indian websites have been asked to be blocked, as per my observation," the ISP executive added.