Punish accused in atrocity cases, demands Minister

 Minister for Social Welfare A Narayana Swamy has said that those who committing atrocities on Dalits should be punished and paying monetary compensation to the victims will not do any justice.

Speaking at a review meeting of Kodagu and Mysore districts here on Tuesday, he said in Kodagu, 14 atrocity cases were registered in 2009-10, 44 in 2010-11, 16 in 2011-12 and 10 in 2012-13. Of them, 11 were rape cases. Only in one case, the accused has been punished. There is a need to put an end to atrocities on Dalits in a civilised society.

As many as 61 atrocity cases, including eight rape cases, were registered in Mysore district. Fast Track Courts should take up these cases. The officials should not keep quiet after paying compensation to victims. The officials should ensure that the accused is sentenced by submitting necessary documents to courts, he added.

Zilla Panchayat Member S N Raja Rao said that additional funds should be released for the construction of Ambedkar, Valmiki and Babu Jagajivanram Bhavan. Wardens should be appointed to all the hostels run by the Social Welfare Department.

Replying to it, the Minister said that 85 per cent of warden posts in hostels have been filled up. Measures will be taken to fill up the remaining posts at the earliest. Bio-metric attendance system, which has been introduced in hostels at Chikkaballapur, Ramanagara, Bangalore rural districts, will be extended to other districts.

District Social Welfare Officer (in charge) L G Ganti said that the Rs 1 crore proposal has been submitted to the government to construct the Valmiki Bhavan in 25 cents land at Mullusoge near Kushalnagar. Measures have been taken to construct Ambedkar Bhavan and Jagjivanram Bhavan in the district.

Mini airport

District-in-Charge Minister Appachu Ranjan said that land has been identified near Sainik School in Koodige to construct a mini airport.

The work will start once the Airports Authority of India approves the proposal. Social Welfare Department Commissioner Naveen Raj Singh, Deputy Commissioner Dr N V Prasad, ZP CEO K B Anjanappa, SP Manjunath Annigeri and were present.