Mysuru: Deputy Commissioner Dr. K.V. Rajendra has said that civic workers and Safai-karmacharis should be provided with face masks, hand gloves and shoes apart from arranging regular health check-ups for them.

He was speaking at a District-level Awareness Committee meeting about the “Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013,” on Friday.

“Vacant civic workers posts should be filled up which can reduce the workload of Pourakarmikas.  In the case of death of a civic worker, all benefits should be given to the next of  kin and one from the family should be given the job on compassionate grounds,” said Dr. Rajendra.

The DC directed the Deputy Director of Public Instruction (DDPI) to ensure admission of civic workers’ children to prestigious schools of the city from the next academic year.

Stating that the demands of Direct Payment for civic workers will be forwarded to the Government, the DC sought the Joint Director of Social Welfare Department to provide complete information about the total number of civic workers, Direct Appointment workers, Direct Payment workers, vacant posts and the welfare schemes that are in force for civic and Safai workers by next meeting.

Committee Member Rachaiah, who spoke at the meeting, urged for implementation of the demands of confirmed and Direct Payment workers.

“The policies must be changed wherever necessary. In case of death of a civic worker, a member of the family should be given the job on compassionate grounds. Civic and Safai workers should be provided rest rooms and their children should be given admission in reputed schools,” appealed Rachaiah to DC.

Another Committee Member Nanjappa Basavanagudi, who also spoke at the meeting said that “Title Deeds should be given to civic workers who have been given houses on Government land at Manuganahalli Gram Panchayat limits.”

He also appealed that the two-acre land at survey number 141 of Hebbal Colony, that was reserved for Safaikarmacharis and allotted to Ashraya Samithi now, should be returned to Safaikarmachari’s Adi Dravida community.

Mysuru City Corporation Commissioner G. Lakshmikantha Reddy, Social Welfare Department Joint Director Malathi and District-level officials of various Departments were present at the meeting.