Anganwadi still not providing food to Aliya’s siblings

The local anganwadi is assigned by the government to go door to door to provide vaccination and food for babies falling in the age group of 0-6 years through the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS). After Aliya’s death, her mother Naseema has five other children to feed. The family is currently depending on the generosity of neighbours.

The Ekatmik Bal Vikas anganwadi in Kalamb village is tasked with ensuring that every single child in the village is given medical and nutritional care, but in Aliya’s case it never happened. This despite the Maharashtra government spending in excess of Rs 300 crore annually only on micronutrient-rich meals and rations for children aged 0-6 years through the ICDS. The supervisor of the Ekatmik Bal Vikas anganwadi in Kalamb village claims that they have registered 50 children from Kalamb village and are providing the supplementary diet (sheera, poha and sattu) to them.

“We are occupied with other things also, so we have so far not registered the siblings of Aliya with our anganwadi. We could not reach their house,” said supervisor Ranjana Halankar of Ekatmik Bal Vikas anganwadi in Kalamb village.

“Each child gets almost 1kg of packed food through ICDS scheme. It is a supplementary diet so, including only supplementary micro nutrient-rich meals and ration will not solve the problem of Aliya’s family. The family fails to give the necessary diet for children,” added Halankar. Despite her insistence that the family was to blame, the truth remains that many months after Aliya was diagnosed as malnourished, she received absolutely no care from the anganwadi.

“We receive almost 100 kilogramme ration for these 50 children registered with us. For the families who fail to reach the anganwadi, it is sent to them in a packed form,” added Halankar.

However the neighbour, Qayum Dongre said, “We shifted the family to our house as their house is unhygienic and pathetic. Now, the house where Aliya’s family is staying is hardly a stone’s throw away from this anganwadi,” he said. “It is true that Aliya’s father Abrar kept on moving from one place to another for work but he is also physically challenged. At least now the anganwadi should provide food to the younger children in the household who also fall in the age group scheme 0-6 years,” he added.

The anganwadi and the PHC in Kalamb failed to provide Aliya any vaccination doses. Already malnourished, her immunity was further weakened by the absence of vaccination and Aliya died due to acute malnourishment.
santoshee.mishra@expressindia.com