Chandigarh, Sept. 3 -- The Haryana health department on Tuesday dismissed two ASHA (accredited social health activist) workers for failing to perform their duties diligently. One case pertained to Sonepat where the husband of an ASHA worker was illegally selling Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) kits. He was buying the MTP kits from Delhi and distributing them in Sonepat. "After receiving complaints, cases were registered against both husband and the wife and the police arrested the duo," the health officials said in a statement following the State Task Force (STF) meeting by additional chief secretary (health) Sudhir Rajpal held to review the progress achieved under the save the girl child programme. It was informed in the meeting that in another case that pertained to Panchkula, a pregnant woman, who already had three daughters, died due to negligence after the ASHA worker failed to monitor her condition properly. It was learnt that the pregnant woman had allegedly consumed MTP kit. "Consequently, the ASHA worker was also terminated from her job," the health department said in a statement. In a bid to arrest the slide in sex ratio at birth (SRB), ASHA and anganwadi workers, called Sahelis, have been assigned pregnant women with one or more daughters. The task of a Saheli is to counsel and keep a watch over the expectant mother and inform if they undergo abortion after 12 weeks of pregnancy. Meanwhile, the ACS (health) Sudhir Rajpal directed officers to keep a strict watch on people purchasing MTP kits. He also directed to seek explanations from the chief medical officers of Ambala, Bhiwani, Charkhi Dadri, Karnal, Sirsa, and Palwal districts, where the desired improvement in the sex ratio has not been achieved over the past week. During the meeting, the AYUSH doctors were directed to keep a strict watch on cases related to the illegal sale of MTP kits and were directed to remain vigilant in four nearby villages under their jurisdiction to ensure that no pregnant woman who has crossed 12 weeks of pregnancy undergoes an illegal abortion. Directing the officers to closely monitor wholesalers selling MTP kits and MTP centers, the ACS (health) said that if inspections reveal that a female foetus has been aborted in such cases the related ultrasound records must be scrutinised, and if any irregularity is detected, a complaint must be lodged with the police....