Sirsa retains 10th spot in gender ratio; Charkhi Dadri tops ranking
Anil Kakkar
Sirsa, April 4
Sirsa district maintained its 10th position in gender ratio rankings in March. According to the data released by the Health Department, Sirsa recorded a gender ratio of 925. Charkhi Dadri held the top spot with a ratio of 1,055. Looking at the gender ratio in March, Fatehabad ranked second, followed by Jhajjar, Karnal, Bhiwani, Palwal, and a tie between Yamunanagar and Ambala for the seventh spot. Additionally, Gurugram and Mahendragarh jointly had a gender ratio of 871, placing them at the bottom (21 position).
Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the “Beti Bachao Beti Padhao” campaign from Panipat in 2015. Despite the campaign’s launch, there hasn’t been significant improvement in the gender ratio. Panipat recorded a gender ratio of 887 in March, ranking 18th in the district.
Moreover, Sirsa district ranked fourth statewide in gender ratio in 2017 and topped the list in 2015, 2016, 2018, and 2019. However, it faced setbacks in 2020, only to regain its top position in 2021, witnessing the birth of 947 girls per 1,000 boys.
The PNPDT cell in-charge Dr Bharat Bhushan Mittal said over 30 raids had been conducted in recent years to tackle gender determination rackets, with 26 in Punjab and four in Rajasthan. Nearly 70 cases have been registered under the PNDT Act, with some resulting in convictions and others under appeal. The involvement of neighbouring states of Punjab and Rajasthan contributes to the gender ratio decline, as enforcement measures have been ineffective.
Although Rajasthan initially showed some strictness, monitoring of gender determination has waned over the time. Women from Sirsa district are taken to Rajasthan and Punjab for gender determination tests, leading to raids and arrests on receiving the information, he added.
He also identified 28 villages in the district with low gender ratios, where the department conducted special awareness camps to address the issue.
Informers providing information on gender determination are rewarded with Rs 1 lakh and their identities are kept confidential, said Dr Bhushan.
