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Bant, July 6: It’s been about 17 years since an Anganwadi centre has been running from the verandah of a villager’s house at Adhalapanka under this block in Bhadrak district, even as the government spends crores of rupees on infrastructure development in education sector.
Worse, food is cooked and served to children on the same verandah, exposing them to rainy and sunny days. In the absence of a building, the kids and the Anganwadi workers have to compromise with the adverse situation.
The Anganwadi was set up in 2000 for children of Adhalapanka, Anadhua and Kalapahad. In 2009, two other Anganwadi centres were set up – one at Taiguna and another at Kalapahad. While Kalapahad centre has got its own building, construction of the building for Taiguna centre is under way.
However, the building for Adhalapanka Anganwadi has not been taken up till date even though work order for the purpose had been issued a year ago. The government has even sanctioned funds for the purpose.
The major stumbling block has been land identification for the building. “There is lack of consensus among the local people to choose a land for the centre,” an Anganwadi worker and members of the Gaon Kalyan Samiti said.
Anganwadi workers exuded hope that if the villagers mutually bury their differences, the building construction can start. PNN