Woman, two children injured as part of ceiling collapses in Anganwadi centre

Three injured after ceiling of Madurai Anganwadi centre collapses due to bad condition of building.

A woman and two children were injured after a part of the ceiling of an Anganwadi centre at Muthupatti in Madurai collapsed on Wednesday.  

It was functioning in a rented building which was already in a bad shape. Ten children and a caretaker were inside the room when part of the ceiling caved in.  As the Anganwadi teacher was on sick leave, caretaker Muniswari, 40, was looking after the children when the incident happened. The debris fell on her head, and two children also suffered minor injuries on their head and hands.  They were rushed to a nearby private hospital for treatment.

The residents of the area said they had voiced their concern with the centre staff and the Intergrated Child Development Services (ICDS) Department people regarding the safety of the children because of the bad condition of the building, but no action was taken.  

Even as they were looking for a place to shift, the incident happened. “There is a government-built Anganwadi centre at Muthupatti which is being run for children from Balarengapuram area, but the Muthupatti children attend the Anganwadi centre being run in the ill-fated place,” a woman said.  

“Residents of two other houses in the building which housed the Anganwadi centre had shifted a few months ago fearing their safety. A new building must be built for the Anganwadi as already 20 children were studying there, the residents said.