With conditions as pitiable as the ones at the Anganwadi centres in Penha-de-Franca, it is a miracle that children are even willing to go to these centres.
Consider one such anganwadi centre in Pundalik Nagar. Housed in the garage spread across a paltry 12 sq mtrs and covered with an asbestos sheet, the anganwadi centre has no electricity connection or toilet facility and the anganwadi worker has to pay from her own pocket towards a part of the room rent. It is hardly surprising that the number of children has plunged from 40 in 2006 to a bare 10 this year.
Most of the aganwadi centres in Penha-de-Franca panchayat, which were established to look after the children till they attain school-going age, are in deplorable condition.
The centres are run under the Integrated Child Development Scheme and children, pregnant women, young mothers and adolescent girls receive their supplementary food from these centres.
Some of the centres are over 20 years old and most of them are covered with asbestos sheets. The mosquito menace is unbearable for children as the centres are surrounded by garbage and sewage.
The condition of anganwadi Centre (No 57) at Pundalik Nagar is such that it is housed in a garage with an area of just 12 sq mtres, since its inception in 2006. There is no electricity connection or toilet facility at the centre.
When the centre was started in 2006, there were 40 students on the roll. However as parents took note of the unhygienic condition at the centre, they withdrew their children and the anganwadi now has only 10 students.
“The rent of this anganwadi centre is Rs 1000. While I get only Rs 200 from the government, the local panchayat pays me Rs 600 and balance I pay from my pocket. Since there is no electricity connection, it becomes very difficult for me to sit in the room and perform my duties as well as look after the children,” admits Jeevan Shet, the in-charge of the anganwadi centre.
“When I receive the stock of food grains from the State for the distribution to pregnant women, nursing mothers and adolescent girls, the room gets almost packed with these items and the children do not get sufficient space in the room,” Shet added.
The condition of the anganwadi centre (No 64) at Vidhyanagar, which was started in 1990, is no different.
The roof of the 10 sq mtr centre is also covered with an asbestos sheet. The room lacks a window and it is infested with rats. There is an electricity connection but it is of no use as the electrical wiring has been eaten by rats and as a result, the fan and the bulb do not work.
Shoba Gondhali, who runs this centre, informed that many parents withdrew their children from the centre due to the pathetic condition of the same.
Admitting various problems at the anganwadi centres in Penha-de-Franca, Minister for Women and Child Development Dilip Parulekar has said that attempts are afoot to improve the conditions of these centres.
“The expenses towards rent as well as wages for a worker and a helper in each centre are borne by the state government. Since this is a Central government scheme, the State government cannot increase the rent of the anganwadi. However, the State government is fully aware of the condition of some of the anganwadis in the State,” said Parulekar.
The State government has already increased the wages of the anganwadi workers. Chief Minister Manohar Parriker has agreed to construct the anganwadi centres with an area of about 60-70 metres through the Goa State Infrastructural Developmental Corporation, if philanthropists or comunidades can donate about 100 sq mt of land to construct these anganwadi centres.”
“Some people have donated land in Bicholim, Pernem, Valpoi, Sattari, Priol, etc, and the State government has started constructing anganwadi centres in those places,” Parulekar added.
