Girls in this Haryana village not only survive but thrive

KARNAL: Economic hardships have been no deterrent for residents of a tiny village of Karnal - Halwana, where all families belong to below poverty line (BPL) category - in promoting and protecting the girl child.Even though many state-sponsored schemes are yet to bring in desired results across the state in improving the skewed child sex-ratio (0-6 years), collective efforts of Halwana residents have ensured that girls in the village get a chance not only to survive but to grow up freely.Due to efforts of the residents of Halwana - about 20 km from Karnal - the village has emerged as a role model for the entire state in arresting the trend of female foeticide besides giving a solution to the authorities to check this social evil. The village has a child sex-ratio of 1,209 girls per 1,000 boys - the highest in the block.According to the record, child sex ratio in Halwana was 1,131:1,000 in 2011, which improved to 1,164 in 2012. The gender ratio dipped in 2013 to 956. However, it registered a huge jump in 2014 as 52 girls were born in the village as against 43 boys.Former sarpanch of the village, Dhyan Singh, said the improvement is credited to a deep-rooted belief which dissuaded locals from female foeticide. He said in some of the households there were more than three girls and all were treated well.Another resident Girdhar, a father of two girls, said the mindset of the villagers was not against the girls. With a population of 4,422, Halwana is village of landless inhabitants belonging to scheduled castes and backward communities who are daily wagers or earn their livelihood by working as hawkers.Karnal deputy commissioner J Ganeshan said Halwana has set an example for the entire state to follow. He said gradual improvement in the child sex ratio over the last few years has shown that village residents have changed their mindset.There is no ultrasound centre located in or near Halwana. "Whenever the need for an ultrasound scan arises, we take the patients to Karnal. None of the private ultrasounds centres have come up in and around the village," said Harbhajan, a local resident.