Finally, Jind’s khapland opens its heart to its daughters

JIND: Things appear to be changing for the better for girls in this “khapland”, infamous for its preference for the male child. The latest report of the Health Department shows the number of newly born girls has increased in many villages of the district. Child sex ratio (CSR) is more than 1,000 in many villages.

Krishna Devi and Naresh Kandhola with their daughter Sonu. Tribune pohto

Parvesh Sharma

Tribune News Service

Jind, July 12

Things appear to be changing for the better for girls in this “khapland”, infamous for its preference for the male child. The latest report of the Health Department shows the number of newly born girls has increased in many villages of the district. Child sex ratio (CSR) is more than 1,000 in many villages. The figures for the past one year show that around 100 villages of the district had CSR of more than 950, better than the national CSR of 919.

The Health Department has set up 33 rural registration centres in Jind district that has around 309 villages. The CSR registered at Ujhana, Ram Rai, Chhatar and Durjanpur centres is 1,000, which means the number of newly born girls is equal to that of boys. At many places such as Amargarh, Hatt and Dehola, the CSR is 2,000, which means the number of newly born girls is twice that of boys.

In all, 1,204 babies (563 girls and 641 boys) were born at primary health centres, community health centres and civil hospitals in Jind district over the past two months. The overall CSR for Jind district is 878.

“Things are changing even in rural areas. I celebrated the birth of my granddaughter today. Like me, there are many others who do not see any difference between a son and a daughter or a grandson and a granddaughter,” said Ram Sarup of Budayan village.

The CSR figures for 2014 show that 84 villages of the district witnessed the birth of more girls than boys. Of the total 115 births in Samola Kalan village, 66 were girls and remaining 49 boys (CSR 1,346). In Dumrakha Khurd village, the number of newborn girls was 56 as against 46 boys (CSR 1,217); and in Danoda Kalan, 202 girls were born against 207 boys (CSR 975).

“Strictness, coupled with awareness campaigns, has changed thinking of residents of this backward district. Our officers are maintaining a strict vigil to prevent cases of female foeticide,” said Dr Pale Ram Kataria, Deputy Civil Surgeon of Jind and CSR in charge.