Fighting Gender Bias: Woman Sarpanch To Plant 50 Saplings For Girl Child In Odisha’s Nuapada

Nuapada: Killing two birds with one stone, a woman sarpanch of Odisha’s Nuapada district has found a novel method of curbing gender bias and promoting environmental awareness by planting saplings in houses with newborn girls.

Saroj Devi Agrawal, sarpanch of Bhaleswar panchayat under Sadar block, had earlier been in the limelight after sending pension money to the doorsteps of differently-abled people with the help of drones.

Now, under her novel initiative, she has announced that 50 saplings would be planted to celebrate the birth of every girl child in the village in the house of the newborn.

Saroj Devi’s tweet regarding the same drew the attention of Nuapada Collector Hema Kanta Say who asked the Khadial DFO to provide necessary saplings to the sarpanch for the purpose.

A decision to this effect was taken at a meeting of ASHA workers at Bhaleswar village on Tuesday. Presiding over the meeting, the sarpanch underscored the need for generating awareness among people against the termination of female fetuses and encouraging them to protect girl children.

The sarpanch advised ASHA workers to ensure that people do not go in for prenatal testing.

“There is a need to change the mindset of people towards girl children. They should be encouraged to safeguard girls and provide them with better care,” she observed.

She has intimated her decision to the chief secretary, the district collector, the district agriculture officer and the horticulture department.