Danger looms large over little ones

Kochi: At a time when there is strong official move to discipline day care centres in the light of the Kochi incident where kids were ill-treated at a daycare centre, the condition of many anganwadis in the state remains anything to be desired.

The Anganwadi No 53 in Vennala in Kochi city presents a pathetic picture with students huddled in a congested room. Its asbestos roof has started leaking with the onset of monsoon.  “It is in a dilapidated condition and will collapse if monsoon gathers strength in the coming days. There were 25 students last year and already in the beginning of this academic year there are 15 students,” said V Gopakumar, who contested last elections as NDA candidate in Kalamassery and a native of Vennala.

“The gas cylinders for cooking food for the children are kept in the 50 sq ft room and cooking using gas stove also is done there. Students also take rest and sleep in the room. There are no toilet facilities and they do it in the open while the lone teacher K.X. Elsy make use of the toilet of the adjoining Anjumana school,” said Thattarath Sreekumar, a native of the place.

He said that the building was set up for the Navadhara Club 30 years ago which was later converted into the anganwadi. “It is now made of hollow bricks and is situated on the roadside on a curve. If a vehicle loses control and rams into it, then a tragedy will happen. So it is high time authorities intervened to save the children,” said Mr Sreekumar who added that MP, MLA, the Kochi Corporation and the State government have ignored the cause of the little ones so far.