In Panchkula, women rule the roost, literally!

Sandeep Rana

Tribune News Service

Panchkula, May 2

Infamous for a skewed sex ratio, Haryana is seeing women empowerment and their dominance in Panchkula district with key government wings being headed by the fair sex here.

From the judiciary to politics, administration and the police, women have dominance here.

With Dr Garima Mittal taking charge as the Panchkula Deputy Commissioner today, now four key posts, including Additional Deputy Commissioner (Hema Sharma), Sub-Divisional Magistrate (Radhika Singh) and City Magistrate (Mamta Sharma), in the administration are being held by women.

Ritu Tagore is the District and Sessions Judge here while Nidhi Bansal is the Chief Judicial Magistrate-cum-Whole Time Secretary, District Legal Services Authority, Panchkula.

Women are leading from the front in other major departments too. While Upinder Kaur Ahluwalia is the Panchkula Mayor, Savitri Sihag is the District Education Officer and Dr Veena Singh the Principal Medical Officer, General Hospital.

“Now, women are getting bigger opportunities, and have proved their mettle. We have shown we can do it and are no less than men. Generally, women are sensitive and understand people’s issues better,” says Kalka MLA Latika Sharma.

“As a police officer, I can say that women feel comfortable approaching us in cases of crime against them. Being women, we understand their concerns better,” says ACP Purnima Singh, who heads the all-woman police station.

Mayor Upinder Kaur says, “Women are better managers. If they can manage everything so well at home, why not outside? I understand the concerns of residents in a better way and they, too, feel comfortable sharing their problems with us with the confidence that they will be heard.”

The new DC, however, feels, “Women empowerment is good. However, I feel that an officer should not be seen as man or woman, and shouldn’t be categorised.”