Panipat Sex Ratio Declines: 67 Villages Flagged as Red Zones

Panipat Sex Ratio Declines: 67 Villages Flagged as Red Zones

Panipat Sex Ratio Declines: 67 Villages Flagged as Red Zones

Panipat Sex Ratio Declines: Alarm bells have been sounded in Panipat district as 67 out of 190 villages have been identified for their distorted Sex Ratio at Birth (SRB), thus falling into the red zone category. The Health Department has also stepped up efforts to tackle the problem, with the district’s SRB falling to 900 girls per 1,000 boys in 2024.

Panipat, once a model district under the BBBP campaign, is now at number 17 in Haryana SRB. The campaign was launched from Panipat in January 2015 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, which had earlier given encouraging results with the SRB of the district increasing from 892 in 2015 to a record 945 in 2017. But now the progress has taken a reverse course and has given rise to a concern on the eve of completing its 10th year of campaign.

Panipat Sex Ratio Declines

YearSex Ratio at Birth (Girls per 1,000 Boys)
2015892
2017945
2023924
2024900
Key Initiatives Taken
Strict Monitoring: Pregnant women’s data to be uploaded on the portal from the first trimester.
No Ultrasound Without Registration: Mandatory pre-upload on the Health Department portal.
Targeted Raids: Crackdown on illegal sex determination and MTPs.
Focused Analysis: PHC-wise scrutiny of villages with low SRB.
Community Awareness: Campaigns to promote gender equality and combat societal bias.

The disturbing statistics were pointed out by Civil Surgeon Dr. Jayant Ahuja. “The Health Department has marked particular villages where the SRB has been below 850. For example, PHC Mandi reported an SRB as low as 478 and villages under PHC Bapoli, Chulkana, and Patti Kalyana also had some worrying trends,” he said.

To counter this trend, the department has accelerated its activities. “Teams are analyzing data from these villages to understand the underlying causes. Health workers have been directed to monitor pregnant women closely and maintain detailed records starting from the first trimester. This information must be uploaded on the department’s portal before any ultrasound is conducted,” Dr. Ahuja added.

Illegal practices that contribute to the skewed sex ratio are also being tackled by the department. Raids on unregistered ultrasound centers and rigorous implementation of the Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PCPNDT) Act will be followed through. “We will intensify raids and take strict action against offenders involved in sex determination or illegal medical terminations of pregnancy,” Dr. Ahuja asserted.

Community awareness campaigns are also being beefed up to address societal biases and promote gender equality. “We cannot let the efforts of the past decade be undone. It is imperative that we work together to ensure a balanced SRB,” Dr. Ahuja concluded.

Declining SRB in Panipat is a harsh reminder of the challenges in achieving gender equality, even in regions that once led the way. Renewed vigilance by the Health Department is a critical step toward reversing the trend and ensuring the success of the BBBP campaign.