Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Feb 21: To raise awareness in the society about saving and educating the girl child, J&K Indian Red Cross Society, in collaboration with National Health Mission, organized Jammu Walkathon on “Beti Bachao Beti Padhao”.
Nearly 4000 students from various educational institutions, volunteers, police personnel, Bharat Scouts and Guides, senior citizens and members of civil society participated in the Walkathon.
The Walkathon was flagged off by Director General of Police (DGP), K. Rajendra Kumar from Government Women College Parade.
Speaking on the occasion, Rajendra underscored the need for greater awareness among the masses about Beti Bachao Beti Padhao. He suggested Red Cross volunteers and all sections of society to undertake rigorous door to door campaign to explain the people about the danger of female foeticide.
Mr. Rajendra also emphasized urgent need of sensitizing clinicians about discouraging the practice of pre-natal gender determination and also asked the authorities to deal firmly with any such complaint under law.
DGP appreciated the organizers of the programme and said that conducting awareness programmes and rallies about the cause “Beti Bachao Beti Padhao” will be highly useful in sensitizing the community about saving, educating and providing dignity to the girl child. He further said that males have an equally important role to play in eradicating the discrimination towards women in the dociety and creating an enabling environment for women to live with respect.
Earlier, Dr. Yashpal Sharma, Mission Director, National Health Mission highlighted some of the measures taken up to eradicate the menace of sex determination and illegal selective abortions. He also described the relevance of the initiatives like Beti Bachao Beti Padhao critical to J&K State because of its alarming child sex ratio of 862 as against National average of 919. It was for this reason that 5 districts of the State were selected in J&K out of the 100 that are promoting this programme in the country.
Speaking on the occasion, Roma Wani, General Secretary, Indian Red Cross Society, J&K State said that it is only through awareness that we can protect those who are actually responsible for carrying forward existence.
The walkathon culminated at MA Stadium, Jammu after passing through Purani Mandi, Raghunath Bazar, Vivekananda Chowk and Dogra Chowk.
While speaking on the concluding ceremony of the Walkathon, the Chief Guest, Naveen K. Aggarwal, Director General, Youth Services and Sports appreciated the efforts of Indian Red Cross Society to promote the cause of Beti Bachao Beti Padhao.
Kiran Wattal, Commi-ssioner, Jammu Municipal Corporation, who was guest of honour at the concluding ceremony, assured full support in promoting the greater cause of Beti Bachao Beti Padhao.
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