Subscribe
The sex ratio (SRB i.e. sex ratio at birth) of Haryana, infamous for female foeticide, has reached its lowest level in eight years, according to figures released recently by the state government.
The sex ratio was recorded at 905 for the first 10 months of 2024 till October. This is 11 points less than last year. A sex ratio lower than this was recorded in 2016.
The districts of Gurugram (859), Rewari (868), Charkhi Dadri (873), Rohtak (880), Panipat (890) and Mahendragarh (896) were the worst performers, with all recording a sex ratio of below 900. Haryana is far removed from the ideal sex ratio of 950 as recommended by the World Health Organization. The state has not been able to achieve this figure till date.
Gurugram has been performing poorly for the past few years. On Gurugram’s worst performance, district Chief Medical Officer Virendra Yadav told Down to Earth (DTE) that the state portal had experienced a lot of problems this year.
“Due to problems in the portal in June, July and August, there have been very few registrations this year. There is a difference of 7,000-8,000 births this year, compared to last year,” said Yadav. He added that the portal was under examination to improve its working. “The situation may get a little better after all the entries are completed,” said Yadav.
In view of the falling sex ratio in Haryana, Prime Minister Narendra Modi started the Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao (Save daughters, Educate daughters) campaign in 2015. The sex ratio of the state improved after the campaign and reached 923 in 2019. But in 2020, it started declining again, something which has continued till now.
Declining sex ratio means that girls are being killed in the womb in the state. Gaurav Punia, the in-charge of Pre-natal Diagnostic Techniques Act for Kaithal, a district in northern Haryana, told DTE that the sex ratio in his district is better but the decline across the state is worrying.
He claimed that sex determination and female foeticide were hardly happening anywhere in the state due to strict vigilance observed in Haryana. Rather, they had shifted to the four states adjacent to it — Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Rajasthan.
Punia also pointed out that despite economic progress, a large number of people in Haryana still preferred sons. Unless this thinking changed, the situation regarding sex ration will not improve.
The business of ultrasound operators and abortion centres in states neighbouring Haryana is flourishing due to male-child preference among the state’s people. There is not much strictness in these states. People from Haryana reach here through touts and get tests and abortions done.
Gaurav Poonia told DTE that ultrasound operators even gave wrong information about the growing foetus in the womb for money. Many such cases had come to light when boys were declared girls and aborted. He added that those doing ultrasounds and those performing abortions are connected to each other.
Punia further said that since 2005, around 1,200 successful raids had been conducted in Haryana against gender testing. But the success rate is decreasing now because the people involved in this work have become very cautious.
Subhash Chander, state convenor of Haryana Soochna Adhikar Manch, told DTE that the desire for girls in the state is less because their families fear they may bring dishonour in the future due to elopement.
According to them, girls cannot help their families by earning money and wealth. On the contrary, the families will have to pay dowry on their marriage.
Subhash Chander further said that due to such thinking, boys in Haryana are not getting girls for marriage. He said that in most of the villages, there are 300-400 boys who are usually married.
He added that in many families, if girls are not nurtured properly, they become victims of malnutrition and after some time, they even die.