Cooch Behar: Anganwadi centre shut for five months, stored food getting spoiled

Cooch Behar: The closure of an Anganwadi centre for the past five months has led to the stored food items, including rice, getting spoiled, spreading a foul odour in the area. The incident has caused widespread concern among locals.

The situation has unfolded at Anganwadi Centre No. 271 in Tufanganj Nakkati Gach Gram Panchayat (GP), under Cooch Behar district. The centre was reportedly locked by the landowner’s family due to an unresolved employment dispute.

According to sources, the landowner, Paresh Chandra Roy, had donated the land for the Anganwadi centre 25 years ago, with the expectation that a job would be provided to a member of his family. However, after years of unpaid service by his family as helpers, a new helper was recently appointed, prompting Roy’s family to lock the centre in protest.

The closure has severely impacted the beneficiaries, particularly children and pregnant women, who depend on the Anganwadi services for nutrition and healthcare support. Frustration is growing among local residents.

“Children and mothers are being sent back from the Anganwadi centre with only eggs. Even after five months, no action has been taken. I urge the administration to step in and resolve the issue,” said Madhumita Das, a local housewife.

Madhabi Mitra Karmakar, a worker at the center, claimed that services were still being provided despite the closure. “The landowner knows why the centre is locked. We are continuing to distribute eggs daily. Currently, there are 43 children and pregnant mothers registered with this centre,” she stated.

When approached for a statement, Tufanganj Child Development Project Officer (CDPO) Prabir Ghosh declined to comment on the matter.