Mysuru: Karnataka State Safai Karmachari Commission Chairman M.R. Venkatesh chaired a review meeting on Pourakarmikas of the District at the Deputy Commissioner’s office here yesterday. The auditorium was jam-packed with Pourakarmikas and officials.

Participating in the meeting, Dalit Sangharsha Samithi (DSS) leaders alleged that manual scavenging was still prevalent at a few places though the government claims that it is extinct. Many Pourakarmikas complained that they were not being paid statutory benefits like PF and ESI adding that even salaries were not paid on time.

Addressing the meeting, Venkatesh said that a State-level meeting of Safai Karmachari Monitoring Committee would be held next month in view of conducting a survey of Pourakarmikas across the State.

Stating that the survey would ensure Government benefits to Safai Karmacharis, he said that he would instruct the officials to provide substantial report on manual scavenging, if any, in the district.

DSS Convenor Nanjappa alleged that about 70 families of Pourakarmikas living in Hebbal were on the threat of eviction by an influential person to develop the land.

Venkatesh asked ZP CEO P. Shivashankar and Joint Director of Social Welfare Department Prabha to investigate the matter.

Deputy Commissioner D. Randeep, Assistant Commissioner Shivegowda, Safai Karmachari Commission Members Gokula Narayanaswamy and Meenakshamma, MCC Commissioner G. Jagadeesha and others attended the meeting.

Let a Pourakarmika inaugurate Dasara next year

Pourakarmika leader R. Krishna suggested that Dasara festivities should have been inaugurated by a Pourakarmika without whom the city would not have got the cleanest city tag twice. He hoped that the request would be considered next time for Dasara.