M A I N   N E W S

Clicked replacing rotten eatables at anganwadis
Perneet Singh
Tribune News Service

Bathinda, May 28
Defying Deputy Commissioner’s orders, a few supervisors of anganwadi centres were caught on camera replacing rotten eatables at an anganwadi centre of Siwia village last evening. This despite the fact that the Deputy Commissioner asked the officials concerned yesterday only to take 15 samples of eatables from each block.

A Tribune photographer clicked them loading rotten eatables in a government vehicle. The Tribune also has video recording of the entire operation carried out in the dark. In wake of the sampling of eatables, the supervisors not only took away the rotten stuff, but also replaced it with quality items.

A white Gypsy (PB03G 0193) belonging to the district administration reached an anganwadi centre at about 7.45 pm.

Supervisors alighted from the vehicle and asked anganwadi workers to load the rotten eatables and unload fresh one.

After the operation was over one of the supervisors sat at a grocery shop and asked anganwadi workers of the centre to sign a letter saying: “Taste kar ke vekh laya sab fresh hai chalo sign karo” (You’ve tasted it, everything is fresh, sign it now).

The vehicle used in the operation is allotted to Project Officer Sadhuram Kushla. However, Kushla said he had filled the logbook at 5 pm and was unaware as to how it reached Siwia village last evening.

The Deputy Commissioner, Mr Rahul Bhandari, had asked the officials to collect 15 samples of eatables randomly from each block by Saturday evening. Reports of replacement of eatables at anganwadi centres have been received from Ganga and Jassipowali villages also.

Sources said a canter (HR 11 0236) picked up rotten eatables from anganwadi centres of Gehri Barasinga and Chunarthal villages under the supervision of Chhinderpal Kaur and Gurmail Kaur. However, centre in charges of Dhansinghkhana and Raikhana didn’t allow anyone to replace the eatables.

When contacted, the Deputy Commissioner said the District Health Officer had already collected 24 samples, of which only one was found to be replaced. He admitted that the Bathinda SDM had found worms in the eatables at an anganwadi centre in Nahiyawala village. He said he would take action against those responsible in the case and the Talwandi Sabo SDM was taking care of all aspects in his probe.