KRISHNAGIRI: With the sole anganwadi worker absent in a centre with 10 children at Eerannadoddi tribal habitation in Urigam panchayat, the centre was dysfunctional on Thursday.
When a team of workers from Forest Rights Act (FRA) cell in Krishnagiri went to the panchayat on Thursday to implement FRA, they found the centre to be closed and children to have not got there pre-schooling and daily food provided at the centre.
An FRA cell member told the TNIE, "Most of the residents being Kannada-speaking tribals, struggled to raise their issues. The centre was functioning in a rental building for many years and new building is under construction for more than a year. When we asked about the regular function of anganwadi, people are calling it to be irregular." The member took video and pictures and sent to Krishnagiri Collector C Dinesh Kumar to look into the issue.
A villager from Eerannadoddi, C Sudha, also confirmed that anganwadi was dysfunctional on Thursday and many villagers echoed the centre to be irregular.
Urigam sectors (in- charge) ICDS supervisor Jalaja told the TNIE that, "I enquired ICDS worker Sudha, who initially lied to me that she went to the centre and later admitted that she did not go. Action will be taken against her." Thalli block CDPO Nithya said that, one day pay cut will be recommended after an enquiry with the worker. A meeting will also be convened to all ICDS workers in Thalli block to prevent irregularities.
Thalli Block Development Officer assured that he would check the delay in anganwadi building construction.
Last Friday, the TNIE carried a story that an anganwadi centre was closed in the Kempakarai tribal village in Doddamanju panchayat.