Sex ratio at birth dips in Haryana, Panipat and Jhajjar fare badly

AMONG THE WORST PERFORMERS, FATEHABAD BAGGED THE SECOND POSITION WITH 887 FEMALES BORN PER 1,000 MALES

AMBALA: The Centre-led Beti Bachao Beti Padhao initiative seems to be falling flat in the state after Jhajjar and Panipat, which made headlines for increasing sex ratio last year, reported a dip this year.

From January 1 to October 31, Jhajjar and Panipat districts reported a decline of 60 (from 922 to 862) and 64 (955 to 891), per 1,000 male births, respectively.

Yamunanagar and Sirsa districts topped the chart with 938 female births per 1,000 males followed by Jind with birth of 931 females.

A spokesperson of the health and family welfare department said the Panipat and Jhajjar recorded the steepest fall in the sex ratio this year.

Panipat, which led other districts last year, was the fourth worst performer in 2018.

Among the worst performers, Fatehabad bagged the second position with 887 females born per 1,000 males.

Ironically, the sex ratio also declined from 923 to 906 in Ambala, where health minister Anil Vij contested state elections from the Cantonment.

Dr Randeep Singh, Jhajjar civil surgeon, said the district’s sex ratio rose to 924 in the past two months. He also said that the health officials had been raiding illegal sex-determination centres across the district. “I am hoping that in the next six months we will achieve last year’s pace,”Singh said.

On Panipat’s poor performance, Dr Dayanand Bagri, civil surgeon, said he had held a review meeting with health officials and staff across the district. “We are keeping a close tab on illegal sex-determination activities,” he said.

Prime minister Narendra Modi had launched the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao mission from Panipat on January 22, 2015.

According to Haryana health department figures, the state had recorded 876 sex ratio in 2015, 900 in 2016 and 914 in 2017. In 2018, the state reported 910 female births per 1,000 male births from January 1 to October 31, while in 2017, the state recorded 911 sex ratio for the same period.