This anganwadi functions from a dilapidated toilet!

Sorry state of affairs

A 10X8-ft space within a dilapidated toilet building is where 28 tiny tots of DJ Halli learn their first letters. What’s worse, the mid-day meal served to them is also prepared amid the foul smell emanating from the toilet. This is the condition of the anganwadi located in the Government Urdu School premises in DJ Halli.

State Minorities Commission Chairperson Anwar Manippady, who went on a surprise inspection to this school on Thursday, was in for a shock when he saw little children being exposed to such ‘inhuman’ conditions. Another shocker was finding traces of ganja, whitener, cigarettes butts, cards and used condoms inside this campus, which also houses a primary school, high school and a pre-university college, with a total student strength of 2,800. 

Following the inspection, Manippady directed BEO Ashwathnarayana Gowda to shift the anganwadi from the toilet building to one of the classrooms till alternative arrangement is made. 

Women and Child Development Department Deputy Director (Urban) Ramesh Halbhavi, under whose jurisdiction the said anganwadi falls in, demanded the school authorities to provide a proper building to house the children. He said earlier they used to run the anganwadi in a community hall, located inside the school campus. However, the hall was later demolished and the school authorities gave them the ‘toilet building’ to run the anganwadi. He added that he had no option but to run the anganwadi in the available space, as the rules do not permit them to close it down.

Manippady directed the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike officials to clean the school premises within a week and ensure that no garbage is dumped in the campus henceforth. He also asked the local police to prevent the outsiders from entering the school campus. 

During the inspection, Manippady also found many irregularities at the school and took the principals of the primary, secondary schools and college to task. One of the principals said when some of the college girls opposed  dumping of garbage in the premises, they were almost hit by the miscreants.  When Manippady questioned why the authorities concerned had taken no action in this regard, representatives of the Palike, DWCD and Police departments passed the buck. This irritated Manippady, who directed the officers to not depend on anybody and take up necessary work on their own accord.

Manippady also found that there were irregularities in the construction of new classrooms for students. Member of Transformation Committee for Minority Commission, Ruksana, who is also a NGO worker, complained that 11 rooms being constructed under Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan do not provide necessary space for the children. 

Also, the school does not have a computer lab and two computers sanctioned so far were being used for administrative purposes.