Achham, Sept. 25 -- Until a few years ago, the Bhagawati Early Childhood Development Centre in Achham often reverberated with the laughter and chatter of children. Now it has fallen silent.

The classrooms that were once filled with children now stand empty. With enrollment dwindling, the centre was merged with another, leaving the building unused.

Teertha Shah, 57, who spent 17 years teaching at the centre, is a witness to the change. When she started, more than 25 children barely fit into the classroom. The number dwindled year after year until the centre was eventually merged.

"By 2018-19, that number had fallen to eight, and the municipality merged the centre," Shah said. It has since closed altogether.

After the merger, Shah moved...