Two Haryana officials suspended for fudging sex ratio

Chandigarh: Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Thursday ordered the services of two officials of Palwal Municipal Council be suspended on charges of manipulation of data on sex ratio and disciplinary action be taken against them, a minister said.

Urban Local Bodies Minister Kavita Jain said that the Registrar and Sub-Registrar (Birth and Death) of Municipal Council, Palwal, had provided data in March this year as per which 1,217 girls were shown as born in the council area, but the office of Director General, Health Services, Haryana-cum-Chief Registrar (Births and Deaths), recorded the birth of 950 girls for 1,000 boys in the state.

"After the report aroused suspicion, it was scrutinized by the Chief Registrar`s Office, which confirmed manipulation in the data which resulted in an error in the sex ratio record in Palwal district. From January 2017 to March 2017, the figure of 1,383 girls for 1,000 boys was recorded by the municipality, whereas during the investigation, it was found to be 906 girls for 1,000 boys," the minister said.

She said that the council had recorded the figure of 957 girls in January 2017, 990 in February and 1217 in March, whereas it was found 930 in January, 951 in February and 983 in March. In June 2017, this figure was updated to 912 instead of 910 per 1000, 940 instead of 930 per 1000 in March 2017 and 932 instead of 928 in January-March quarter.

Taking cognizance of reports, the Chief Minister suspended the Registrar (Birth and Death) Mohinder Singh and Sub-Registrar (Birth and Death), Sandeep Kumar.