Mangaluru: While maintaining that anganwadi workers will not be spared for any work other than taking care of children, Minister for Women and Child Welfare Jaimala said here on Tuesday that the State government will shortly introduce biometric attendance system in anganwadis to ensure that the personnel work from 9 a.m. to 4.30 p.m.

Speaking at a meeting to review Women and Child Welfare programmes, Ms. Jaimala said that anganwadi teachers need to concentrate on the well-being of children coming to the centres. These teachers have the onerous responsibility of moulding young children. “These teachers can be used for immunisation and other activities of the department. They cannot be used for any other work,” she said.

“The government is firm on this,” Ms. Jaimala said and added that the anganwadi teachers cannot be used for census and works of other departments. Along with biometric, the Minister said that the government will bring in transparency in the working of anganwadis. “We will know how many children and women have food in anganwadis,” she said.

The Minister and MLC Ivan D’Souza expressed concern over the death of 10 of the 131 orphan children in the Srirama Sevasharama, Puttur, which was the only adoption centre in Dakshina Kannada. Child Protection Officer Usman said that these 10 children were found abandoned in bushy areas and waste bins. These children could not be saved despite treatment at the Government Hospital in Puttur.

Hilda Rayappan from Prajna Councelling Centre said that the department should ensure that such abandoned children are brought to the Regional Advanced Paediatric Care Centre (RAPCC) at the Government Wenlock Hospital. While directing Mr. Usman to make use of RAPCC, Ms. Jaimala said that she would consider the proposal to open another adoption centre in Mangaluru, which was pending for over two months.

The Minister directed Deputy Director of Women and Child Welfare Sundara Poojary to help children who have developed problems following cochlear implants.