DEVENDRA GAONKAR
VALPOI: The anganwadi building at Khotodem in Valpoi is in a bad shape and could collapse at anytime.
The villagers have been demanding that the Government start the construction work of the new building, as the children have been forced to undergo hardships for several years.
The villagers complain that the Directorate of Women and Child Development, Panjim had laid the foundation stone for new building at the hands of the then Women and Child Development Minister Dilip Parulekar in the presence of Member of Parliament Shripad Naik and Vishwajit Rane, under Integrated Child Development Services Project, Sattari, in 2013. But till today, the work of new building has not commenced started by concerned department.
Earlier, the anganwadi was functioning from an old and weak premise and this prompted the authorities to shift the anganwadi to a nearby community hall. Since the last four years, the children are studying in the community hall, which lacks water and electricity.
At present there are 18 children, earlier the strength was 40 and due to the lack of the above facilities, some parents have stopped sending their children to this anganwadi.
The Child Development Project Officer, Sattari taluka has warned the anganwadi teacher not to share any details regarding the anganwadi with media and also not to allow them to click the pictures of the anganwadi, informed a teacher.
