'Safai karmacharis should look for other jobs'

He met safai karmacharis at Kennedy’s Line in the City on Friday.

“The Government has banned manual cleaning of underground drains. Do not continue in the profession with a desire to earn greater money,” Raddi told the karmacharis, and added that the district administration is willing to provide alternative employment to the workers.

Raddi warned that the Commission will have to take action against even the Government if the profession is permitted.

‘No demands’

Deputy Commissioner Manoj Kumar Meena said, “The Government cannot give an alternative employment opportunity overnight. On the other hand, nobody has come forward in the last three days, demanding employment.”

He said that the district administration is organising an employment mela on July 2. The garment industry too is opening shortly.

“The district administration is also ready to obtain loan from the Dr Ambedkar Development Board to provide employment to the people,” added the Deputy Commissioner.

Financial aid

The administration was also willing to financially help educated youth to enter well-known colleges, he added.

He said the district administration had received complaints that underground drain cleaners who were employed under contract by private companies were not paid salary for nine months. “We shall analyse the complaints and take necessary action,” he assured.

Commission registrar Malleshappa, Dr Ambedkar Development Board general manager Sajjana, deputy general manager Govindachar, in-charge commissioner Peddappaiah, Tahsildar Nagaraj and representatives of self-help groups were present on the occasion.

‘Mine workers leading miserable life’

The former workers of the gold mines in Kolar Gold Fields have been leading a miserable life, lamented Karnataka State Human Rights Commission member R H Raddi.

“The residences of the mine workers lack basic amenities. They neither have hospital facility. They have even lost the strength to demand for their rights,” Raddi told reporters in Kolar on Friday.

He was in the City to receive complaints from the public at the office of the deputy commissioner.

Raddi said the officers concerned would be held liable for manual scavenging of manholes. The commission has so far received 22,000 complaints from across the State of which 17,000 have been disposed of, he disclosed.