BERHAMPUR: For the last 13 months, the anganwadi centre at Kujidhepa village in Ganjam district has failed to deliver the basic services meant for the kids, thanks to a conflict between the Anganwadi Workers’ Association and the villagers.
So complex is the matter that even the intervention of the district administration has failed to resolve the crisis.
Kujidhepa village has around 200 families, with a total population of over 600. The anganwadi centre used to provide essential maternal and child care, nutritional support, and health guidance to four pregnant women, 15 children in the age group of seven months to 3 years, 20 children aged 3 to 6 years and 23 adolescent girls.
Trouble began when the village committee allegedly demanded money from an anganwadi worker, Rita Pradhan. When she refused to comply, the committee reportedly imposed a social boycott on her and her family, including her parents, who also reside in the village. That was in February last year.
The tussle that arose out of it has continued, impacting the anganwadi worker and her family. “No one speaks to us, and local shops refuse to sell us goods,” Pradhan alleged. The committee also reportedly instructed villagers not to send their children to the anganwadi centre.
Initially, Pradhan continued opening the centre daily, but no children turned up. In December, someone reportedly changed the centre’s lock and key, barring Pradhan’s entry. Undaunted, she has been sitting on the verandah for a few hours each day.
Pradhan’s family has also reportedly faced severe repercussions. Her two children, who study in another village, have been affected, and her husband, a construction supervisor, has been compelled to stay home due to safety concerns.
Although the social boycott had little impact initially, she claimed that the committee recently prevented her family from cultivating their land. However, following her appeal to the police, the committee reluctantly allowed cultivation, but continued the boycott. The police, citing the resolution of the land dispute, refused to take further action.
Local administration authorities have visited the village multiple times but have failed to resolve the issue. Despite these challenges, Pradhan continues performing her duties. Through the centre’s helper, she recently resumed distributing dry nutritional supplies to children and pregnant women. However, cooked meals for children, a critical component of the government program, remains unavailable.
The village committee denied the allegations of imposing the social boycott. Inspector in charge of Rambha police station Satyabrata Bhutia also refuted claims of a boycott, stating that the land dispute had been resolved.
Members of the All Odisha Anganwadi Workers’ Association gheraoed the district welfare office at Chhatrapur on Thursday, demanding protection for Pradhan to enable her to perform her duties safely.
On the other hand, villagers from Kujidhepa and neighbouring Satuki staged a protest at the collectorate on Friday, calling for Pradhan’s removal.
They submitted a 10-point memorandum accusing her of fund misappropriation, inflating beneficiary numbers, mistreating children, and failing to register expectant mothers in government welfare schemes.
CDPO Salila Pradhan acknowledged the ongoing deadlock and said that repeated efforts to mediate had failed.
Ganjam collector Dibyajyoti Parida stated that multiple efforts have been made to resolve the issue and assured that action would be taken soon to address the crisis.