09-30-2006, 08:05 PM
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin--><b>Scarcity of girls impacts Ashtami celebrations in Punjab </b>
Raju William | Ludhiana
With 764 females per 1,000 males, Fatehgarh Sahib district has lowest sex ratio in country
For the past several years, Harleen Kaur, a BCom first year student at a local college here, was again busy on Saturday morning to collect minor girls (kanjaks) for worship at the house of her neighbour - the Sharma family. The irony of the girl child being worshipped as a kanjak on Ashtami day while being routinely killed in the womb all year round might have escaped the attention of the devout in the past, but not any more, it would be seem.
A tough job which to her dismay is becoming tougher every year since she herself used to be part of worship as a kanjak at the Sharmas' house in Model Town Extension.
It is not an odd case, as it turned out. People are finding it increasingly difficult to find girls for this annual ritual thanks to a severely lopsided sex ratio for worship on Ashtami observed on the eighth day of navrataras. Keeping in view the scarcity of girl child, many of them are finding themselves in demand to do rounds of several houses.
This stunning ground reality is reflected in the sex ratio figures of this State known for its saints, soldiers and farmers. The number of females per thousand males has decreased from 882 in 1991 to 874 in the last census. The figures are expected to have come down further as the census is now five years old. The situation is more alarming in comparison to 933 females per 1,000 males as reflected at the national level and shown on the official website of Punjab Government. Punjab also has the notorious distinction of having the lowest sex ratio in the country, which was estimated at 764 females in Fatehgarh Sahib district.
The more aware sections of society may be seized of the problem but the realisation about the menacingly growing gender imbalance in Punjab is due to a persistent decline of kanjaks among lower and middle class.
Will people like Ramesh Bangar, owner of a shoe shop in Ajit Nagar, ever learn? He stopped short of having a heated verbal duel when some girls went "out of turn" to his neighbour's for the purpose. "Until now I really was unmindful about the problem. But what is the Government doing about it'? he asked. .
His question is not without some basis. In Nawan Shahr district, for example, official initiative by deputy commissioner Krishan Kumar coupled with public awareness and active cooperation has changed things for the better. The sex ratio at birth in this district has witnessed a remarkable increase from 770 girls per thousand boys in May 2006 to 935 girls by August 2006. His prescription - awareness, enforcement of law, public support - has worked but, in his words, "still more needs to be done".
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Raju William | Ludhiana
With 764 females per 1,000 males, Fatehgarh Sahib district has lowest sex ratio in country
For the past several years, Harleen Kaur, a BCom first year student at a local college here, was again busy on Saturday morning to collect minor girls (kanjaks) for worship at the house of her neighbour - the Sharma family. The irony of the girl child being worshipped as a kanjak on Ashtami day while being routinely killed in the womb all year round might have escaped the attention of the devout in the past, but not any more, it would be seem.
A tough job which to her dismay is becoming tougher every year since she herself used to be part of worship as a kanjak at the Sharmas' house in Model Town Extension.
It is not an odd case, as it turned out. People are finding it increasingly difficult to find girls for this annual ritual thanks to a severely lopsided sex ratio for worship on Ashtami observed on the eighth day of navrataras. Keeping in view the scarcity of girl child, many of them are finding themselves in demand to do rounds of several houses.
This stunning ground reality is reflected in the sex ratio figures of this State known for its saints, soldiers and farmers. The number of females per thousand males has decreased from 882 in 1991 to 874 in the last census. The figures are expected to have come down further as the census is now five years old. The situation is more alarming in comparison to 933 females per 1,000 males as reflected at the national level and shown on the official website of Punjab Government. Punjab also has the notorious distinction of having the lowest sex ratio in the country, which was estimated at 764 females in Fatehgarh Sahib district.
The more aware sections of society may be seized of the problem but the realisation about the menacingly growing gender imbalance in Punjab is due to a persistent decline of kanjaks among lower and middle class.
Will people like Ramesh Bangar, owner of a shoe shop in Ajit Nagar, ever learn? He stopped short of having a heated verbal duel when some girls went "out of turn" to his neighbour's for the purpose. "Until now I really was unmindful about the problem. But what is the Government doing about it'? he asked. .
His question is not without some basis. In Nawan Shahr district, for example, official initiative by deputy commissioner Krishan Kumar coupled with public awareness and active cooperation has changed things for the better. The sex ratio at birth in this district has witnessed a remarkable increase from 770 girls per thousand boys in May 2006 to 935 girls by August 2006. His prescription - awareness, enforcement of law, public support - has worked but, in his words, "still more needs to be done".
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