Anganwadi children forced to attend classes in open

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, January 16

Children of the anganwadi centre at Gopal Nagar here are forced to sit in the open (on mats) and bear with cold wave conditions. There are more than 350 anganwadi centres in the district and around 60 per cent of them suffer from the problem of space constraints and are lacking in other basic amenities.

While narrating the sorry state of affairs, Saroj Bala, a worker of the centre, said, “We cannot help but make these small children sit in the open on mats amid extreme weather conditions. Many parents have stopped sending their children to the centre as they know that there is no proper building. Some children got ill due to the cold wave recently.”

Sources said the situation at four anganwadi centres at Kujanwala Mohalla was not different where four anganwadi centres had been operating from the single building. And children are stuffed in one room where ration has been stored and even meal is being cooked there. Anganwadi centres operating near the Naruiana road have also been suffering from space shortage for long. Officials at the Department of Social Security, Women and Child Development are allegedly making hollow promises in this regard.

Pratibha Sharma, an executive member of the anganwadi workers’ union, said, “Space constraints is a common problem at various other anganwadi centres operating in the district. And as per estimates of the union, more than 60 per cent of the centres have been grappling with space constraints.”

“Anganwadi centres are gradually losing their relevance as on the one hand children have been shifted to pre-primary government schools and on the other, the government has failed to provide basic amenities such as rooms, potable water and sitting arrangements among others. Considering the lack of proper arrangements, parents of many children have stopped sending their children to angwanwadi centres now,” added Pratibha Sharma.

Besides, many anganwadi centres have been operating from rented buildings or rooms by spending money from their own pocket.

A helper at an anganwadi centre in the Parasram Nagar area requesting anonymity said, “Our salaries are inadequate and we cannot afford to pay from our own pocket. But for the financial aid of anganwadi workers, many centres would have ceased to operate/exist by now.”

Child development project officer Usha Rani could not be contacted despite repeated attempts.