The Hindu : Kerala / Kochi News : Anganavadi to be housed in new building

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Sunday, Apr 18, 2004

Kerala

Kerala - Kochi

Anganavadi to be housed in new building

By Our Staff Reporter

KOCHI, APRIL 17. The Ombudsman for Local Bodies, K.P. Radhakrishna Menon, today directed the Corporation to house a controversial anganavadi at Ponnurunni in the new building constructed by the Corporation. The building had been constructed on land belonging to the Mahila Samajam.

He asked the Secretary, Corporation, and the Mahila Samajam to provide for the anganavadi a spacious room with all facilities in the building within two weeks. Mr. Menon warned them of penal proceedings if they failed to comply with his order.

In a strongly worded judgment, the Ombudsman singled out C.K. Manishankar, member of ward 44, where the anganavadi is located, for criticism. He was castigated for having misled the Ombudsman by promising to provide an alternative accommodation for the anganavadi within 100 metres of the present building.

The Ombudsman, who had inspected the anganavadi on Kachapilly Road, Ponnurunni, on Friday, said in his order that the anganavadi was presently functioning in a dungeon. He said the alternative accommodation now offered by the Corporation too was equally bad.

No authority who has any regard or respect for the Constitutional provision of Article 46, meant to promote with special care the educational interest of the weaker sections of the people, would allot a place for anganavadi like the one offered by the Corporation, he said. The building is untidy and not suited for an anganavadi as it is situated in a crowded commercial centre, the Ombudsman said.

The welfare of the children of the anganavadi will be jeopardised if it is left in the hands of the ward member, Manishankar, he said. `In other words,' the judgment said, `Manishankar shall not be permitted to play fast and loose, or approbate and reprobate in the discharge of his statutory duties and as a responsible elected member.'

According to Mr. Menon, the conduct of Mr. Manishankar proved that he did not believe in the welfare of the weaker sections of the people, though he proclaimed from housetops that he was the well-wisher of the weaker sections. The Ombudsman withdrew the encomiums he had earlier showered on Mr. Manishankar.

The judgment went on: `On seeing the plight of the children, I am certain, even dried up eyes will produce a few drops of tears; but neither Manishankar nor any of the `mahilas' of the Mahila Samajam are prepared to shed a drop of tear, though they have sharp eyes. It is the Vedic saying that the love of the Bharat women for children, whether or not they belong to the upper class or weaker section, is anupam (incomparable).'

Mr. Menon said that the children of the anganavadi were treated as a political football in the game which the so-called well-wishers of the common people, living below the poverty line, in public life play.

"Why should we live in this country... after seeing these children," he said. "It is devil's own country, not God's own."

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