The Madras High Court Bench here on Friday sought the response of the Centre as well as State Government to a public interest litigation petition seeking provision of clean toilets, electricity connection, boiled drinking water and other such amenities at all 54,439 anganwadi centres established in the State under the Centre’s Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS) for children below the age of six.
A Division Bench comprising Justice M. Jaichandren and Justice R. Mahadevan ordered notices returnable by four weeks to the Union Ministry of Women and Child Development, State Government’s Department of Social Welfare and Noon Meal Programme and ICDS Commissioner in Chennai on the PIL petition filed by social activist C. Anantha Raj of Madurai through his counsel R. Alagumani.
In his affidavit, the petitioner pointed out that though the State had over 54,000 anganwadi centres, only 24,005 of them had water facilities within their premises, 24,712 had toilets, 10,742 had electricity connections and 24,706 had storage bins even according to the Annual Programme Implementation Plan for 2012-13 posted by the Social Welfare Department on its website.
Further, a recent study conducted by Thozhamai, a non-governmental organisation, in 500 anganwadi centres spread across the State, concluded that 232 centres were untidy, 262 were not painted with pictures used as learning material for the children, 133 did not have teaching aids and the lower part of the inner walls in 286 centres was not painted in black to encourage the children to write.
The study also found out that 377 centres did not have a separate kitchen, 290 of them were using firewood for cooking, 144 were constructed with asbestos roof, 15 were functioning under thatched roof and 181 did not have first aid boxes.
After pointing out the deficiencies, the petitioner wondered how these centres could enhance health, nutrition and learning opportunities of the children without any basic amenities.
He also wanted the State Government to provide fresh vegetables to the anganwadi centres rather than allotting 25 paise per child for purchase of vegetables.
