Mysore, Mar. 21- K.B. Krishnamurthy, member of National Safai Karmachari Commission (NSKC), visited the city on Friday and reviewed the implementation of the rehabilitation of safai karmacharis by various departments here.

Krishnamurthy directed the district administration to inspect whether the system of carrying night soil still prevailed in the district and book cases against the guilty. Stating that while soldiers on international borders defend the nation from the attacks of enemies, the safai karmacharis protect people from all kinds of diseases, he asked Deputy Commissioner P. Manivannan to take the help of non-governmental organisations and Mutts to keep away safai karmacharis from the habit of consuming liquor.

Manivannan said the district administration had been holding one-day district-level officials meeting every month to redress problems of the Scheduled Castes and Tribes. The salary being given to safai karmacharis is very meager and it should be hiked to at least Rs. 6,000 per month.

Rama Subba, Superintendent of Police, said there has been no death of safai karmacharis while cleaning the drain except one that has been reported in K.R. Nagar taluk two years ago.

K.S. Raikar, Mysore City Corporation Commissioner, said the Corporation has spent Rs. 110 lakh on education of children of safai karmacharis working in the Corporation. For the first time in the country, the Corporation arranged training programme for health inspectors by spending Rs. 7 lakh. From the next financial year, the MCC will spend around Rs. 27.6 crore towards salary of more than 800 pourakarmikas as well of the Corporation employees, he added.

Nataraj, District Social Welfare Officer, said the department had spent Rs. 16 lakh out of Rs. 22 lakh released by the government towards education of 820 children of safai karmacharis studying in various schools of the district. Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Development Corporation and National Safai Karmachari and Rehabilitation Centre had a given loan of Rs. 261.96 lakh to 1214 scavengers since 1993. At the same time, Rs.123.98 lakh had been disbursed as loan to 702 safai karmacharis. Mayor Purushotham and others were present.

Courtesy : Star Of Mysore