A decades-old anganwadi centre in Siruvalayam village near Ranipet got a new lease of life on Thursday after Collector D. Bhaskara Pandian and residents in the neighbourhood together cleared thick vegetation from the facility’s yard.
The two-day exercise, which ended on Thursday, began when the Collector visited the centre during a routine inspection to the nearby Nemili town the previous day. The dilapidated single-room centre that was built in 1999 had children, aged between three and six, seated on the concrete floor with a few reading materials.
As he visited the premises, the Collector saw the thick growth of vegetation behind the centre, which did not have a compound wall. “I was angry not only with the local officials but also with the residents as it was their collective responsibility to keep the centre and its premises safe for children,” Mr. Pandian told The Hindu.
Immediately, he mobilised the residents in the neighbourhood for the cleaning work and even pitched in. Spread around 200 sq.ft., the centre has 35 children. The aim of the anganwadi centre is to tackle the problem of malnutrition in children under six.
Residents said the thick vegetation in the open land behind the centre was a nuisance for residents, especially during the monsoon, as poisonous snakes used to intrude into the centre and houses in the locality.
The centre is the only such facility in the village. “We also appeal to the district administration to rebuild the centre with more facilities and a compound wall,” said K. Rukmani, president, Siruvalayam village panchayat.
