A section of ceiling plaster collapsed at an anganwadi centre in Pimpre Khurd village of Purandar taluka, Pune district, on Wednesday afternoon, but no children were injured because they had moved away from their usual seating area during the meal break.
The plaster reportedly fell suddenly with a loud sound while the anganwadi was operating. Children began crying and panic spread through the centre. Anganwadi worker Varsha Kharat and the helper moved all the children to a safe location immediately. Several parents reached the centre after receiving information about the incident.
Kharat said the consequences could have been serious if the plaster had fallen when the children were seated in their regular place. The incident has raised concerns about the safety of the building and the condition of childcare infrastructure in the village.
Aruna Khedekar, the anganwadi supervisor, was informed about the collapse. She said there had been no loss of life and that senior officials had been notified. Khedekar also said the building would be inspected and that immediate action would be taken based on the findings.
Parents have alleged that a bulge had appeared on the slab several days before the collapse. They said the gram panchayat had been informed about the need for repairs, but that remedial work had not been carried out. The allegations have not been independently established in the supplied report.
The building was constructed around three years ago, according to the report. Parents said they had previously complained to the gram panchayat about the quality of construction. They have demanded an urgent inspection of the building, repairs to any dangerous sections and an inquiry into the quality of the construction.
Parents Ranjit Thopte, Amol Bhosale and Shankar Thopte, along with others, also alleged that the contractor responded aggressively when they raised the issue. The report does not include the contractor’s response to these allegations.
The incident places attention on the chain of responsibility for anganwadi buildings, including local oversight, inspection and maintenance after construction. The immediate next step identified by the anganwadi supervisor is an inspection of the structure and communication of the findings to senior officials.
