House doubles as anganwadi or 22 years

Hassan: Bhagya’s house has been doubling as an anganwadi for the past 22 years. The anganawadi centre at Vaddarahalli in Arakalgudu taluk does not have its own building despite repeated requests.
Fed up with her requests falling on deaf ears, Bhagya decided to run the anganwadi from her own house. “I can’t teach them on the road, can I? I put up a notice in front of my house and have been teaching children for the past 22 years.As per the government policy, I get my salary and groceries for the food. Without any reward I am accommodating the students. I am using my own kitchen to cook. The government has not given me any additional rent for it,” she said.
When I found it difficult to run the anganwadi from my house, I approached the government. After 8 years of running around, they sanctioned a building in 2007. But the building is yet to be constructed,” Bhagya says.
Mahesh V, a villager, says that construction on the anganwadi centre began five years ago and has yet to be completed. “Moreover, the building looks like it will come crashing down any day,” he adds fearfully.