Chandigarh, Aug. 5 -- Every year, more than five lakh births are registered in Haryana and Sahelis are playing a significant role in spearheading the Haryana health department's reverse tracking initiative to check the slide in sex ratio at birth. Sahelis are anganwadi workers and ASHA (accredited social health activists) tasked with "watching over the womb" to trace abortions being performed by mothers with one or more daughters.

Despite a measly monthly stipend of Rs.6,100, Sahelis are successfully powering Haryana's drive to save its unborn daughters, particularly in the hinterland. Haryana has 20,653 ASHA, and 2,500 anganwadi workers for nearly 7,000 villages, colonies and urban areas.

"Pregnant women, who already have one or more d...