01-11-2006, 10:05 AM
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin--><b>C'garh residents dedicate this Lohri to girl child </b>
10 Jan 06
Sunil Kumar/ Chandigarh
Actions, they say, speak louder than words. While politicians and NGOs are ever-audible advocating women's rights and empowerment and campaigning against female foeticide, it was left to a few enlightened families of Chandigarh to take some proactive steps in this regard.
In an attempt to highlight the unfavourable sex ratio and its impact on the female population in the State, residents of Sector 71 here got together on Monday to celebrate the first Lohri for five girl children born in the locality in the past year. The idea was to welcome the children into the colony, thank the almighty for these precious gifts and spread the message that girls are as welcome as boys.
Organised by members of the Park View Enclave Residents Welfare Society, the idea was put forth by the newborn children's grandparents. "We have a very close knit group of 100 families living here and we noticed that in the past one year most couples in the colony have been blessed with daughters. This gave us an idea that this year we will celebrate a special Lohri to welcome these girls," says Jagdish Kalra. Kalra's son Harpal and daughter-in-law Preeti have been blessed with a daughter, Gursakhi.
For Wing Commander Bakshish Singh, it was a day of double celebrations. His daughter and son have been blessed with daughters, Aiza and Manik. "Normally the first Lohri celebrations are organised for son. But we decided that it is high time daughters got their due. As far as we are concerned daughters are no less than sons," Singh said.
Manmeet, daughter of Perneet and Major HPS Sidhu, and Mehak, daughter of Sumit and Gitesh Malhotra, were the other two girls at the centre of attention at the big bonfire lit up for the celebrations Monday evening.
Women residents of the colony had another reason to cheer. "On this momentous day we have also decided to hand over the working of the Residents Welfare Society to women. Our association is managed by defence officers but from today all powers have been transferred to women. If the country can be run by a woman then why not a welfare society?" said Kalra.
As starters therefore, Sangeeta Aggarwal was unanimously chosen as the head of the society; she will choose her own team to carry the good work forward.
<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Finally, Punjab is doing something, small step but good begining.
10 Jan 06
Sunil Kumar/ Chandigarh
Actions, they say, speak louder than words. While politicians and NGOs are ever-audible advocating women's rights and empowerment and campaigning against female foeticide, it was left to a few enlightened families of Chandigarh to take some proactive steps in this regard.
In an attempt to highlight the unfavourable sex ratio and its impact on the female population in the State, residents of Sector 71 here got together on Monday to celebrate the first Lohri for five girl children born in the locality in the past year. The idea was to welcome the children into the colony, thank the almighty for these precious gifts and spread the message that girls are as welcome as boys.
Organised by members of the Park View Enclave Residents Welfare Society, the idea was put forth by the newborn children's grandparents. "We have a very close knit group of 100 families living here and we noticed that in the past one year most couples in the colony have been blessed with daughters. This gave us an idea that this year we will celebrate a special Lohri to welcome these girls," says Jagdish Kalra. Kalra's son Harpal and daughter-in-law Preeti have been blessed with a daughter, Gursakhi.
For Wing Commander Bakshish Singh, it was a day of double celebrations. His daughter and son have been blessed with daughters, Aiza and Manik. "Normally the first Lohri celebrations are organised for son. But we decided that it is high time daughters got their due. As far as we are concerned daughters are no less than sons," Singh said.
Manmeet, daughter of Perneet and Major HPS Sidhu, and Mehak, daughter of Sumit and Gitesh Malhotra, were the other two girls at the centre of attention at the big bonfire lit up for the celebrations Monday evening.
Women residents of the colony had another reason to cheer. "On this momentous day we have also decided to hand over the working of the Residents Welfare Society to women. Our association is managed by defence officers but from today all powers have been transferred to women. If the country can be run by a woman then why not a welfare society?" said Kalra.
As starters therefore, Sangeeta Aggarwal was unanimously chosen as the head of the society; she will choose her own team to carry the good work forward.
<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Finally, Punjab is doing something, small step but good begining.