Reopening of anganwadis in Koppal district raises eyebrows

KOPPAL: Woman and Child Development Department’s decision to reopen anganwadis, with the Education Department yet to take a call on resumption of classes from first to fifth standards owing to the pandemic, has kicked up a row, official sources said.

Koppal district has close to 1,850 anganwadis, which hundreds of children between three and six years of age attend. Though the department’s circular makes it mandatory that all necessary norms, including sanitisation of the centres, Covid test for its workers and assistants and consent of  parents of the children be followed, reopening of the anganwadis could pose a threat of return of the pandemic.

It is almost infeasible to ensure that children comply with the requisite norms though ‘only five children per session’ is another norm that will be allowed, according to Anganwadi Workers’ Union state vice president Kalavati Menedal.

She said despite the department Minister Shashikala Jolle’s recent assurance that anganwadis will not be reopened soon, its officials seem to have taken a unilateral decision in this regard.  As per an order, anganwadi centres have to function between 9.30 am and noon but no specific date has been announced for their reopening per se, sources said.

Department official Amaresh said that a few anganwadis have already commenced functioning in Kushtagi taluk. However, deputy director of the department Akkamahadevi told TNSE that the process of sanitising anganwadis  and obtaining consent letters from parents to open anganwadis in the district is underway.