Sex ratio improves in 2 Sonipat villages

SONIPAT: Two villages of the district have made a improvement from their earlier record of having the lowest sex ratio in the district. Rabhra and Jauli villages in Gohana sub-division, which have recorded most positive ratio of boys and girls this year, are set to be rewarded by the Haryana government for their achievement.
The district administration had rewarded the two villages with Rs 50,000 each for making significant improvement in the sex ratio as compared to previous years.According to the civil surgeon, additional district commissioner Pushpender Chohan handed over cash awards to sarpanches of these villages at a function in Sonipat on Friday.
Rabhra village had a ratio of 711 girls per 1,000 boys in 2009 while Jauli village had even worse ratio at 685:1000. However, the latest data for these villages by the health department indicated that in Jauli village the sex ratio during 2010 turned the scales in favour of girls with 1,072 girls per 1,000 boys. Similarly, Rabha village too turned the tables and the ratio was recorded at 1212:1000.
Civil surgeon Dr Ramesh Sethi said there were reports that some unscrupulous elements, indulging in sex determination test, were active in the region earlier.
But after the health department took stern action and the village panchayats also cooperated, the villagers vowed not to go for these tests.
Mahender Singh, sarpanch of Rabhra village, said, "It's a rare honour for the village which had recorded worse sex ratio one year ago. It is satisfying to know that villagers have shed their gender bias".