Five-year-old Kumar says he is not hungry. 10-year-old Surendar is more candid: he misses the mid-day meal at school. What the lockdown in Anganwadi Centres and schools means for these children of the urban poor
A survey by IRCDUC on homeless children has revealed that only 54% access services by the anganwadi centres in the city. Many suffer habitually from fever, cough, wheezing and diarrhoea as a result of their rough living conditions.
Many balwadis in the Perumbakkam resettlement colony have no power, no play equipment and in some centres, not even a teacher who can help the kids learn. This is a gross violation of ICDS norms.
