'Respond positively to grievances'

State SC/ST Commission Chairman E Ashwath Narayan said, action will be initiated against officials who do not help solve problems of people belonging to Scheduled Caste and Tribes.

He was chairing a meeting, held to discuss the problems faced by people belonging to Scheduled Caste and Tribes, in the city, at the ZP Hall, on Wednesday. 

“All officials have been asked to respond positively to the grievances of the people of the communities. So, the people should make use of the benefits extended by the governments, shedding differences either as sub-castes or separate groups,” he said.

Dalit leaders, who attended the meeting, aired several problems faced by the communities. They demanded filling of backlog job vacancies in the governments, severe punishment for those availing benefits by producing fake caste certificates, reservation in issuing contracts in government departments, regularisation of services of civic workers (pourakarmikas), and speedy issuance of compensation to atrocity victims.

Venkatagiriaiah said, people belonging to backward castes should not be included under Scheduled Castes. “An authority should be constituted to protect Buddist places of worship. Steps should be taken to check atrocity against Dalits,” he said.

M B Sreenivas said, at least 25 per cent of the works issued on contract by various government departments should be earmarked for Dalits. 

“Contract civic workers should be made permanent. Reservation should be provided in promotions in government institutions. Job reservation should be provided to Dalits in APMC and other cooperative organisations,” he said.

Guruprasad Keragodu said, reservations had not been provided for Dalits in the recruitment for Mandya Institute of Medical Science.

M Krishnamurthy said, the change in rules for provision of compensation to atrocity victims was not proper. “Earlier relief was provided as soon as a case was filed, now, it is paid only after the charge sheet is filed,” he pointed out.