Madikeri: A major disaster was narrowly avoided on Tuesday morning when the roof of an Anganwadi centre in Garvale village, Somwarpet taluk, caved in after two large trees crashed onto it.
At the time of the incident, around 9:15 a.m., only two staff members — Anganwadi teacher Kavya and helper Baby — were present at the centre. While Kavya escaped unhurt, Baby sustained injuries to her head and back. She was initially treated at Madapura Hospital and later shifted to the District Hospital in Madikeri for further medical attention.
Thankfully, the 22 children who normally attend the centre from 9:00 a.m. were not present when the roof collapsed. They had been taken to the Gram Panchayat office to receive vitamin supplements and were delayed by 15 minutes — a delay that may have saved their lives.
Following the incident, Panchayat officials promptly visited the site to assess the damage. Forest department staff arrived shortly after and cleared the fallen trees from the damaged building.
The timely delay in routine activities coupled with quick response prevented a tragedy, but the incident has raised concerns about the safety of infrastructure in rural childcare centres.