Villagers unite to renovate anganwadi

Mangaluru: When the villagers of Doddadka in Aryapu gram panchayat in Puttur taluk sought govt funds to repair an anganwadi centre, they discovered that the funds sanctioned were insufficient to even start the repair work. Consequently, they decided to undertake the repairs themselves.

Built in 1993, the Doddadka Anganwadi was in dire need of attention and was almost on the verge of collapse. Instead of relying on departmental grants for repairs, the community's initiative, donors' support, and local cooperation led to a well-organised renovation. Currently, the anganwadi has about 10 children. The 32-year-old building was constructed with a tiled roof.

The Anganwadi Development Committee, parents, gram panchayat members, and village heads held a meeting to address the buildings' repair needs. When the discussion of departmental grants for repairs came up, it was revealed that only Rs 2,000 was given for the same. Therefore, without relying on departmental grants, those present decided to pool money and repair it themselves, said Subrahmanya Balyaya, a gram panchayat member.

They collected about Rs 1.5 lakh and repaired the entire structure. This included repairing the old dilapidated roof, installing tiles in some areas, interlocking the outdoor space, fencing around for the safety of children, installing a gate, a water tank, and painting the entire building, all costing around Rs 1.5 lakh. Support from donors came in terms of finance and construction materials. Those who could not give both contributed themselves by being voluntary labour, said Balyaya.

He added that there is also another reason for going for renovation. Since the existing anganwadi building was old, there was a plan to construct a new one. However, the old building was located by the roadside, and there was a lack of space. Additionally, for the children's safety, there was a plan to construct the building in a different location. An application was submitted to the tahsildar through the panchayat for new land. When no response was received from them, the old building was repaired.

The inauguration of the renovated anganwadi centre took place on Thursday, and it was attended by students, parents, villagers, and officials from the women and child development department.