Kedarnath Dham set to reopen for devotees on May 10
The series of special puja rituals performed ahead of the opening of doors of the Kedarnath Dham in Uttarakhand began on Sunday as the holy shrine is set to reopen for devotees on May 10.
A database from three blocks of Uttarkashi has turned into a big jigsaw puzzle for the district administration and health department. The three-month data of Dunda, Bhatwari and Naugoan blocks states that in 133 villages, 216 births took place and none of the newborns was a girl child. Giving rise to speculations about some mistake in data collection, pure coincidence, or female foeticide!
The data has created shockwaves in Uttarakhand. According to the district health department, 51 childbirths took place in 27 villages of Dunda block and all were boys. Even in Bhatwari block, similar trend prevailed and among the 49 newborn babies not even a single was a girl child. In Naugaun block, 47 deliveries were performed in 28 villages, 29 other in 20 villages in Mori, 23 deliveries in 16 villages in Chinayalisaur, and 17 other in 14 villages in Purola. All newborn were boys.
The doubtful data forced the Uttarkashi district administration to launch an inquiry. Uttarkashi District Magistrate Dr Ashish Chauhan said, “We will be sending our team to the villages and collect information about children in the age group of 0-6 years. If the data proves the declining sex ratio right, we will be conducting a detailed investigation.”
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Top officers of the Uttarkashi district administration interacted with the ASHA workers. The district health department will now be conducting a village-to-village survey at places where zero birth of the girl child took place.
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