Mysore/Mysuru: Mysuru-Kodagu MP Pratap Simha said that he has solved the decades-old problem of Parivara and Talawara communities facing many challenges.

He was speaking after inaugurating the Mysuru-Chamarajanagar District Valmiki Employees Welfare Association at Vijnana Bhavan in Manasagangothri here on Sunday. 

“People of Parivara and Talawara communities were being deprived of reservation and various other Government facilities because of the objections raised by some officials of the Revenue Department. Due to the continuous agitations of the communities, the Union Government took a decision to include Talawara and Parivara communities with the Nayaka community and included the two communities under Scheduled Tribe (ST) category. But a spelling mistake resulted in a new problem. All hurdles were finally cleared after discussing the issue with experts and community leaders,” said Pratap Simha.

“To solve the problem of Parivara and Talawara communities, series of clearance had to obtained from seven Union Ministries including Finance, Home, Law and Justice. This was possible due to the co-operation of former Chief Minister D.V. Sadananda Gowda and Central Minister Prahlad Joshi. To provide a permanent solution to the problem there was need to amend the law and get the President’s approval. Now, we are in the final stage of the process. At present, steps required to implement the Bill which has been passed, have been initiated. Efforts are on to ensure that benefits are given with retrospective effect dating back to three decades. If the Bill is implemented from the day it was passed, its facilities can be availed by the future generations,” he explained.

MLA G.T. Devegowda, who also spoke on the occasion, recalled that he had taken a delegation of Nayaka community members to former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda in this connection and also supported the agitation held under the leadership of Sri Prasannananda Swamiji.

Former Chairman of Jungle Lodges and Resorts M. Appanna too spoke on the occasion.

Pratibha Puraskar was given to students of Nayaka community who had scored high marks in SSLC and PUC exams. People serving in various fields were also felicitated at the function.

Mayor Shivakumar, MLC C.N. Manjegowda, former Chairman of Maharshi Valmiki Development Corporation S.C. Basavaraju, Corporators M. Satish, Shobha Mohan, Mysuru-Chamarajanagar District Valmiki Employees Welfare Association President Y.P. Jagadishwaramurthy, Vice-President Dr. Somanna, General Secretary Mahadeva Nayaka, Treasurer Krishna and others were present at the function.