CHANDIGARH, Aug. 6 -- The sex ratio at birth (SRB) in half of Haryana's 22 districts has plunged to the lowest 829 and the highest 895 girls per 1,000 boys till June 2026 despite these 11 districts recording a cumulative SRB between 901 and 951 in 2025 calendar year, according to the state health department's data. Just five districts have bucked this trend of steep fall in Haryana's mid-year SRB that has fallen by 23 points in six months as the total SRB up to June 2026 stands at 900 female births per 1,000 males. Haryana's cumulative SRB till December 2025 stood at 923 females per 1,000 male births, the highest ever annual SRB recorded for the second time after 2019. According to the civil registration system (CRS) data (excluding delayed registrations), Charkhi Dadri has emerged as the worst-performing district with its SRB falling by 84 points from 913 in December 2025 to 829 till June 2026. Similarly, SRB of Yamunanagar stands at 895 till June, down from 943 in December 2025. Among the 11 districts where the SRB fell below 900 till June 2026, Panipat also recorded the sharpest decline as its SRB dropped by 71 points compared to its cumulative SRB in December 2025. It was followed by Yamunanagar (48-point decline), Jhajjar (44), Ambala (42), Jind (40), Mahendergarh (36), Hisar (31), Gurugram (30) and Rohtak (seven) points dip compared to cumulative SRB up to December 2025. The data shows that the districts which have bucked this trend and further improved their SRB are Palwal, Sonepat, Rewari, Faridabad and Karnal which registered improvement in the SRB by 18, 10, nine, four and one points respectively compared to December 2025. Dr Sheenu Chaudhary, Karnal's deputy civil surgeon and district nodal officer (PC-PNDT), says that they were able to hold on to the their SRB figures because of early registration of births and constant monitoring of pregnant women so that they can't undergo gender determination test and illegally terminating the pregnancy. "Recently, we conducted a raid through reverse tracking in UP and another raid with the Panipat team. It is all about the mindset of society, but we are making our best efforts to bring about a change," she said. The fall in the mid-year SRB was not confined to districts where the SRB slid below 900. Rest of the 11 districts with SRB above 900 mark also recorded significant erosion in their mid- year SRB. For example, Panchkula saw one of the steepest declines with its SRB crashing by 68 points from 971 in December 2025 to 903 till June 2026. Other districts that registered this dip include Fatehabad (44 points), Sirsa (33), Kurukshetra 26, Kaithal (21), Nuh (17), and Bhiwani (11). This dip in the mid-year SRB numbers is contrary to previous six year trends. For instance, Haryana's SRB in 2023 and 2025 till June was recorded 906, while 904 in 2024, 916 in 2022, 912 in 2021 and 920 in 2020. Health department officials admit that mid-year SRB trends are "disturbing". But they expressed cautious optimism over the SRB improving towards the end of the year as has been the case earlier also. "Last year in June, SRB stood at 906. It improved by 17 points in the next six months," said an official, asking not to be named. "In 2022 even though the mid-year SRB was 916, annual SRB stood at 917. Hence, nothing can be said with certainty except that we are keeping our fingers crossed," he said. Another health department functionary said that in 2025 improving the SRB topped the agenda and the whole department worked with missionary zeal. "Unfortunately, health department authorities are not taking interest at all this year in the 'save the girl child' programme. In comparison to last year, not much has happened this year so far," the health official quoted above said. However, Dr Vishwajeet, nodal officer (PC-PNDT) in Rohtak, says that enforcement alone cannot solve the problem. "The biggest challenge behind poor sex-ratio is the social mindset and boy-preference. People must change their attitude towards the girl child," Dr Vishwajeet said, adding that raids and awareness drives are conducted regularly. According to Dr Mukesh Kandara, Ambala's deputy civil surgeon and district nodal officer (PC-PNDT), raids are being regularly conducted to prevent illegal abortion as well as illegal sale of MTP kits. "We also organise awareness campaigns through religious heads and at places of worship. We are making efforts to improve the sex ratio," he said. What are the apparent reasons behind this alarming fluctuation in the mid-year SRB of Haryana? "The dip in the SRB has been reported from across Haryana during the first half of the year. It is difficult to identify any specific reason at this stage," said the Rohtak district nodal officer (PC-PNDT)....