MARGAO
Inspection of the Education department owned Portuguese-era building housing the Rural Medical Dispensary and Anganwadi centre at Carmona village on Wednesday only brought to fore the utter neglect and apathy of the building for want of upkeep and maintenance by the government departments.
Wild bushes, weeds, creepers, a leaking roof, soggy false ceiling et al greeted the inspection team comprising of the Carmona Sarpanch Winston Dias, ward member Allwyn George, panch members, besides Chinchinim Health Centre Nixon Fernandes, officials of the education department, women and child department and the villagers on Wednesday morning.
The officials preferred to pass the buck for the sorry state of affairs of the structures and its surroundings, with officials of the health as well as women and child department claiming that they had dispatched proposals to the higher-ups to take up the repairs, but in vain. Education officials, on the other hand, claimed that the department had in the past moved a proposal to the PWD to step in and undertake the building repairs.
The inspection revealed that the pharmacist has been shifted in the absence of a full-time doctor heading the RMD. It's now two years since the Carmona RMD is being manned by a part-time doctor, who visits the center twice a week. The RMD has an auxiliary nurse midwife, a multi-purpose health worker and an ‘aya'.
The false ceiling of the centre was found badly damaged due to the leaking roof, facilitating water seepage inside the structure. It was found that no proper drinking water or seating facility is put in place at the centre. The verandah has become the preferred dumping ground for scrap items, including scrap tube lights and other items.
The Anganwadi centre was also found operating in a sorry condition, with hardly any space for the storage of food items and to run the kitchen. The inspection team found only three dilapidated benches at the Anganwadi, raising questions on the availability of the facilities for the 14 children registered with the centre. Water leakage was also noticed in the premise housing the anganwadi centre. The panchayat and the villagers have demanded cleaning and de-weeding of the entire compound of the centre, besides the appointment of a full-time doctor and a pharmacist on priority basis.
While demanding immediate repairs of the building, the panchayat pointed out that the anganwadi centre needs proper children learning, training, visual and playing aids. A suggestion was made to dispose of the old cupboards and other items as scrap and provide for new benches and chairs.
