Shivpuri: In a complete departure of hygienic norms, a toilet in a rural childcare centre in Madhya Pradesh's Shivpuri has been converted into a full-fledged kitchen where food is prepared for the children of an Anganwadi centre.
The compact kitchen cum toilet has both LPG cylinder and earthen stove installed for preparing food. Some cooking utensils were also found stacked over the toilet seat.
Food is cooked regularly here and served to the children as well.
Devendra Sundryal, District Officer, Women and Child Development programme said: "A Self Help Group had taken control of toilet and was using it as a temporary kitchen. Action is being taken against Anganwadi supervisor and workers involved".
"Arrangements will be made for making a proper kitchen as soon as possible," he added.
Commenting on the incident, Madhya Pradesh Minister Imarti Devi said that there is no problem in cooking food inside a toilet if a partition exists between the toilet-seat and stove.
"You should understand that a partition exists there, these days even in our homes we have attached latrine-bathroom. What if our relatives refuse to eat in our house saying that we have attached latrine-bathroom?" asked Imarti Devi.
"Utensils can be kept on the bathroom seat. We keep utensils in our houses also. The pot is unused and is filled with gravel," she said.
"An enquiry would be conducted in the case," she added.
The Anganwadi centre provides basic health care in Indian villages and is a part of the Indian public health-care system. Basic health-care activities include contraceptive counselling and supply, nutrition, education and supplementation, as well as pre-school activities.
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