No check on ICDS centres, health of children at risk

SRINAGAR: Four days after the police seized a centre of the Integrated Child Development Service (ICDS) on the city’s outskirts for distributing expired food articles to children, questions have been raised on the working of thousands of such centres in the Valley.

Rifat Mohidin

Srinagar, May 22

Four days after the police seized a centre of the Integrated Child Development Service (ICDS) on the city’s outskirts for distributing expired food articles to children, questions have been raised on the working of thousands of such centres in the Valley.

There is often no check on these centres even as they put at risk the health of scores of children.

“They are playing with the lives of innocent children. If these centres cannot help anyone they should be closed,” said a Narbal resident.

“People who cannot afford to send their children to private crèches send their wards to these centres…these centres are playing with the lives of poor children,” he reiterated.

The Crime Branch on Monday had raided a Child Development Project Office at Narbal following a complaint and seized 86 quintal of expired food articles.

“The supervisor used to take out daliya (cracked wheat) and suji (semolina) out of packets and keep it in containers so that he is not caught. This practice may be going on in other centres as well,” said another resident.

“These centres go without a check. The government is responsible for the health of thousands of our children who go to these centres for pre schooling,” he added.

A senior police officer said they had received information by a local about the expired food being served at the centre.

“The Crime Branch, Kashmir, conducted a raid at the Child Development Project Office at the Sheri Mohalla Narbal, Srinagar, following specific information regarding the supply of expired food items to different Anganwari centres in the Valley,” the official said, adding that the police have started an investigation into the matter.

The officer said they recovered 86 quintal of expired food items, which included 46 quintal of daliya and 40 quintal of suji.

Meant for improving nutritional health of children in the age group 0-6 years, there are currently 28,467 ICDS centres functional in the state, stretching across 140 community development blocks.