Jeypore: Even as the Centre and the state spend crores of rupees for the welfare of children and women, shoddy implementation of schemes has led to their benefits eluding the beneficiaries, a report said.
An Anganwadi centre constructed on a deserted farmland in the midst of an illegal brick kiln at Paraja Sahi in Bariniput panchayat on the outskirts of this town in Koraput district is a case in point.
This Anganwadi has been constructed by the district administration after spending several lakhs of rupees.
Villagers alleged that the administration, while identifying land for the Anganwadi, completely overlooked the surroundings, connectivity, safety aspect and its distance from the village. This has led to resentment among the villagers. The Anganwadi has been functioning in the new building for the last two months after the old building was declared unsafe.
The centre has over 30 children on its roll but is visited daily by only 15 to 20 children. The children in the centre have to study in a polluted environment due to fumes emanating from the brick kiln. This is likely to make the children unhealthy, the villagers said.
There is no approach road to the Anganwadi and the children have to tread cautiously on the farmland as large craters have been formed due to digging of soil for brick making. Moreover, the toilet in the Anganwadi lacks a door as it was stolen after its construction.
This apart, no whitewashing has been done inside the classroom while plasters have started coming out of the walls due to sub-standard construction.
An Anganwadi worker said she has drawn the attention of the junior engineer towards the problems, but to no avail.
PNN