Govt officials break locks of Anganwadi centres

Rajamahendravaram: As the Anganwadi workers’ strike is intensifying, the government is taking strict measures to quell it. Secretariat employees have been given the responsibility of opening and running the Anganwadi centres, which were closed due to the strike.

As part of this, the locks of the Anganwadi centres at many places across the district were broken by the secretariat staff on Thursday as per the government orders.

At present, the management responsibilities of these centres have been transferred to the secretariat staff.

It is reported that the Anganwadi centres in the remaining 18 mandals except Devarapalli mandal in the district have been taken over by the secretariat staff.

Even though some secretariat employees said that they cannot do this, the district and mandal-level officials ignore their version.

As many as 1,556 Anganwadi centres are functioning in the East Godavari district.

Anganwadi workers went on strike and demanded to solve their problems and fulfil their wishes. Due to this, thousands of children, infants, and pregnant women across the district are facing inconvenience.

The government has considered the Village and Ward Secretariat staff as an alternative to the manage Anganwadi and commissioners in municipalities and MPDOs in mandals have taken responsibility for the management of Anganwadis as per the orders of the government.

Besides taking over the centres on Thursday, VRO, Panchayat Secretary and Women Police are taking charge. Anganwadi centres should be open from 9 am to 12 noon. They also instructed to bring the children and cook food for them and volunteers are given the responsibility of cooking. Two female volunteers and one male volunteer were directed to be in each centre.

Anganwadi Workers and Helpers Association district general secretary Yalla Baby Rani expressed her anger over this. She questioned whether it is good for the government to assign six staff members to Anganwadi centre, which was run by one worker and one helper. The government itself has admitted that the work of six is being done by the Anganwadi worker and the helper so far, she claimed.