The anganwadi has been surviving on the goodwill of the nearby houses and a trader who allow them to take water and electricity respectively.
From outside, the anganwadi in Homegowda Nagar by the Bannerghatta Road in Bengaluru doesn’t really cut a sorry figure. When this reporter visited, the anganwadi was filled with the chatter of the children playing. The walls both inside and outside were painted in bright blue and green. Framed photos of Mahatma Gandhi and BR Ambedkar hung inside, and sacks and boxes of rice and other food supplies were stood stacked by one wall. The preschool facility, which has been around for over 15 years, caters to 15 children from a nearby low-income settlement just behind the building. However, the rosy exterior is marred by the lack of basic facilities in this anganwadi – there’s no electricity, and even though there is a toilet, there’s no running water – because the authorities have not paid the electricity bill for three years and pass the buck when it comes to taking responsibility. Speaking to TNM, Meera, an anganwadi worker at the centre, says that they rely on the goodwill of the nearby homes from whom she carries a few buckets of water for the day’s use at the anganwadi. The Indian style toilet was revamped about a year ago as part of a CSR initiative. And while there are taps in the toilet, the only water available for use is from the three buckets Meera has placed inside. Inside the anaganwadi, while there is a tubelight and a fan, there is no active electricity connection. Thankfully, a nearby trader has allowed for the centre to take electricity from his establishment so that a tubelight and fan can be used. Arun Prasad, a social activist working in the area, has followed up with authorities over the issue numerous times over the past year, only to see no result on the ground. “This is 2019. Authorities need to make sure that these basic needs are met. Is this neglect because these people are poor and they don’t have a voice?” he questions. Speaking with TNM, an official from the Women and Child Welfare Department in the know of the situation said the root of the problem lies with BESCOM cutting power supply after the local corporator stopped paying power bills three years ago. “Even though the CSR activity provided a new pump, there's no running water as there is no power. The pending bill had gone up to Rs 10,000,” the official said. When TNM contacted D Chandrappa, corporator of Hombegowda Nagar, he denied responsibility saying that the state government should foot the bill, not the BBMP. Upon learning of the incident, BBMP Special Commissioner Randeep D said that he will resolve the issue. Started as part of the Integrated Child Development Scheme in 1978 by the union government, anganwadis guarantee nutrition, basic healthcare and immunisation programmes for children under the age of six across India. Over the years, the scope of anganwadis has expanded to include other functions too. In some states like Karnataka, anganwadis also provide midday meals to pregnant women from economically weak backgrounds as part of a state government scheme.
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