Maharashtra panel recommends one-month holiday for kids attending anganwadis due to heat wave

Maharashtra panel recommends one-month holiday for kids attending anganwadis due to heat wave

Mumbai, In view of severe heat wave in parts of Maharashtra, the child rights panel has recommended that children attending anganwadis in the state be given a one-month holiday, and asked the government to make alternative arrangements for providing supplementary nutrition during the period.

Maharashtra panel recommends one-month holiday for kids attending anganwadis due to heat wave

The Maharashtra State Commission for Protection of Child Rights has issued statutory directions to the Commissioner of the Integrated Child Development Services to protect children from the risk of heatstroke, panel member Sanjay Lakhe Patil said on Thursday.

Temperatures in several districts of Maharashtra have reached record levels, making the health and safety of young children attending anganwadis a serious concern, he said.

The commission has suggested that supplementary nutrition be provided through take-home ration premix packets in accordance with directions of the Supreme Court of India.

The Women and Child Development Department has also been asked to submit a detailed report within eight days on the action taken on the recommendations, he said.

Lakhe Patil said the commission had written to the Women and Child Development Department on April 27 seeking a report on the issue, but no response has been received from it despite repeated reminders.

The commission has expressed displeasure over the delay in submitting the report, he said.

The recommendation was finalised at a meeting chaired by commission chairman Sanjay Puranik on May 12.

The commission noted that while schools in the state usually close for summer vacation in the first week of May, anganwadi children continue to attend centres despite the intense heat. It also pointed out that many families travel during school holidays, reducing attendance and affecting the effective implementation of nutrition programmes.

Anganwadi centers provide preschool education and nutritional services and health support to both rural and urban communities.

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