Parents slam Varud anganwadis over poor food, dirty water, no toilets

The condition of anganwadis in rural parts of Varud taluka in Amravati district has come under scrutiny again. Many anganwadis run under gram panchayats and group gram panchayats are facing a severe shortage of basic facilities. Some have no electricity, others do not even have a gas connection. Some anganwadis do not have a toilet or a bathing area, raising concerns about the health and safety of children. The government has set a fixed schedule for anganwadi operations, but parents allege it is not being followed at several places.

Anganwadi workers and helpers do not arrive on time, which means some anganwadis do not open on schedule. Citizens have alleged that at some places the anganwadis are found shut altogether. The government spends crores of rupees every year to ensure children get proper food through nutrition programmes, but there have been complaints that some rural anganwadis are serving poor-quality food. This points to a wide gap between the government's intent and the benefits actually reaching children. Citizens say some anganwadis have no toilet or bathing facility at all, and some are being supplied dirty water.

Drinking water tanks at the anganwadis are not cleaned regularly, increasing the health risk to children. It has also been alleged that bleaching powder, needed to disinfect the water, is not being used properly. The government spends crores of rupees every year so that anganwadi children get basic nutrition, health and education facilities, but in reality, children at some rural anganwadis have been deprived of basic facilities for years.

Citizens have demanded an actual inspection of rural anganwadis to address the shortage of facilities, regular monitoring of the presence of workers and helpers, proper nutrition for children, and clean water, toilets, bathing areas, electricity and gas connections at the earliest. Residents of the rural areas have submitted a memorandum to the district collector, the chief executive officer of the zilla parishad and guardian minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule demanding action on this.

Anganwadi workers have also repeatedly complained about these problems at gram panchayat and group gram panchayat meetings. "But we do not get cooperation from the sarpanch and secretaries," said Sadhana Pandey, supervisor, Benoda (Shahid). Responding to this, Nayana Ingole of the women and child welfare project department said the problems of the anganwadis would be taken up in the panchayat samiti's work plan and budget at its meeting.