Pauri District Magistrate Sushil Kumar sounded satisfied over the gender ratio involving children from zero to five years of age in Beerokhal, Ekeshwar and Thalisain blocks while he aired concern over the poor gender ratio in Khirsu block. He instructed the officials concerned to work hard to improve the dismal gender ratio in the block while chairing a meeting of the district advisory committee of pre- conception and pre- natal diagnostic techniques (PCPNDT)  in Pauri. The DM also directed the officers concerned to keep close watch on the activities of the ultra sound centres running in the blocks of the district where the gender ratio is  below par and stressed on  surprise raids  by the officers of the departments concerned along with those of the  police and revenue departments to check if such centres are indulging in  irregularities followed by stringent action for the errant centres .

The DM instructed the health department officers to conduct awareness camps to remove the stigma the girls are attached with vis-à-vis the boys.

“Many people, particularly in the remote areas of the district, are still nurturing such misconception about the girls. It must be removed,” he said. 

The DM was apprised in course of the meeting that the gender ratio of the children from 0 to five years is 1000 boys against 938 girls on the average in the 15 development blocks of the district. The gender ratio report of the year 2017-18 revealed that the ratio was the highest  in Thallisain block,  one of the most remote blocks,  while it was the  lowest in Khirsu block of the district. DM was further informed that inspections had been conducted at 13  out of 19 ultra sound centres running in the district in January. 

Among others present at the meeting were the district chief medical officer (CMO) Dr BS Jangpangi, deputy CMO N K Tayagi and sub –divisional magistrate K S Negi.