No electricity at 1,850 anganwadi centres in DK

No electricity at 1,850 anganwadi centres in DK

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangalore, April 26, 2012: Anganwadi centres have been found to lack basic facilities such as drinking water, toilets, and electricity. Of the 2,102 anganwadi centres in DK, including 20 mini anganwadi centre, a whopping 1,850 anganwadi centres do not have electricity.

Of the 28 anganwadi centres in Mangalore, only 38 have electricity; and of the total 440 anganwadi centres in Mangalore rural, 330 do not have electricity. Bantwal has the largest number of anganwadis in DK, and of the total 570 centres in Bantwal, 537 do not have electricity connections. Likewise, 25 of the total 321 centres in Belthangady and 6 of the 165 anganwadi centres in Sullia have electricity connections.

Children in 1,636 anganwadi centres have toilet facilities while 446 anganwadis do not have any toilet facilities. Moreover, 530 anganwadis operate from rented buildings. Children in around 550 centres do not have drinking water facilities.

It is indeed ironic that DK, which won the central government’s Nairmalya Puraskar, has 466 anganwadi centres without toilet facilities. According to Shaikshanika Praja Varadi, a survey report on the status of education in DK prepared by NGO Prajayatna, several anganwadi centres in DK lack compound walls and other basic infrastructure.

Speaking on this issue, Dr. K. N. Vijayaprakash, the CEO of the ZP, said that the work of giving electricity connections to anganwadi centres will be prioritized, adding that the ZP has already discussed the issue with Mescom.