VMC meet held after a year

DSS demands land for Ambedkar Bhavan

As per rules, the committee should hold quarterly meetings. However, the district administration did not show interest over the last one year, after a meeting was convened on October 30, 2009.

Addressing the Committee members at the VMC meet, Deputy Commissioner Subodh Yadav said that a total of 149 Dalit atrocity cases were reported in the district  from 2001.

While only two cases were reported in 2001-02, the number shot up to 39 in 2010.
He said that a total of Rs 36.58 lakh has been spent to solve several cases.

Grievance meet

A SC/ST grievance meet followed the VMC meet, which was presided over by the DC in the presence of Mangalore South MLA N Yogish Bhat.

Addressing Dalit community members, the DC said that he will direct officials of all Taluk Panchayats and Gram Panchayats to hold SC/ST grievance meetings regularly.

“If problems of Dalits are solved locally through TPs and GPs, then complainants, especially from rural areas, need be brought to the Deputy Commissioner’s office,” he added.

‘Bhootaradhane on stage’

Koragappa, a Dalit from Sootarpet said that the district administration should take serious note of some private institutions staging ‘Bhootakolas’ on stage as an entertainment programme during literary and cultural festivals.

“Action should be taken against programme organisers who stage Bhootakolas on stage,” he demanded.

Dalit Sangharsha Samiti District Convener S P Anand said that a complaint has already been filed against an institution in Moodbidri for making members of the Koraga community present traditional dance outside the venue during a literary convention.

Ananda said that there are Dr Ambedkar Bhavana buildings in all districts, except Dakshina Kannada, in the State. “Dalits were forced to shell out money to hire auditorium to hold Ambedkar Jayanthi and other programmes. We have identified two acres of revenue land near Derebail in the City. The district administration should take initiatives to allot the land for the construction of Ambedkar Bhavana,” he urged.

‘Allot sites to Dalits’

Dalit members brought to the notice of the DC that revenue land have been encroached in many parts of the district.

 “The district administration should take action to vacate encroachments and allot sites to landless Dalits,” Ananda said. Responding to the demand, Yadav said that the issue will taken up and action will be taken to vacate all encroachments in the district.