<p>Bengaluru: The Karnataka High Court has asked the state government to justify its stand of cancelling the grant of Rs 10 lakh to Safai Karamcharis and altering it to one time grant of Rs 1,00,000. </p><p>The court has further sought explanation as to what happened to the other Rs 9,00,000 that was sanctioned in the year 2018.</p>.Cabinet approves extension of tenure of National Commission for Safai Karamcharis for 3 years.<p>Justice M Nagaprasanna has ordered notice to the Managing Director of Safai Karamcharis Development Corporation while adjourning the matter to April 23, observing that no public servant can escape the responsibility of rehabilitation of the petitioners, be it manual scavengers or Safai Karamcharis.</p><p>The court was hearing a batch of petitions filed by Safai Karamcharis/manual scavengers working in different parts of the state, particularly in the Kolar District. </p><p>Since manual scavenging is abolished in terms of the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act 2013, the state government has rendered financial assistance to rehabilitate Safai Karamcharis. Pursuant to this, grant of Rs 9,00,000 as loan and Rs 1,00,000 additional grant is sanctioned to help manual scavengers to establish stores to eke out their livelihood.</p><p>On May 18, 2018, the order was passed with the names of the petitioners for the sanction of Rs 10 lakh. The petitioners alleged that even after seven years, not a rupee is paid to them and the sanction has remained on paper. The counsel for the petitioners submitted that the Board has adopted a pick and choose method, and granted Rs 10 lakh only to 300 people. The advocate informed the court that the state government had granted Rs 80 crore to Kolar District alone for the purpose of rehabilitation.</p><p>“It is this that shocks the conscience of the Court, that despite drawing the names of these petitioners and holding them entitled to Rs 10,00,000 as loan, not a rupee is paid till date. What happened to the sanctioned amount is a mystery. The learned counsel submits 80,00,00,000 is sanctioned, what happened to Rs 80,00,00,000 is nowhere seen. But the life of these petitioners are put in jeopardy and by this act of the respondent/Board, they are allegedly back to manual scavenging, which is prohibited under the Act,” Justice Nagaprasanna said.</p><p>The petitioners in another batch of petitions submitted that the May 18, 2018 order has been cancelled and the claim is now restricted to Rs one lakh grant and even that grant is unpaid. “The Board shall, therefore, justify its action of cancellation of the sanction order of granting Rs 10,00,000 and ordering one time grant of Rs 1,00,000. The Board shall also indicate as to what happened to the other Rs 9,00,000 that was sanctioned in the year 2018,” the court said.</p><p>The court has also asked the government to secure information about the grant of Rs 80 lakh to Kolar district and to explain as to why only 300 people were chosen, while several hundreds of them are still waiting.</p>
<p>Bengaluru: The Karnataka High Court has asked the state government to justify its stand of cancelling the grant of Rs 10 lakh to Safai Karamcharis and altering it to one time grant of Rs 1,00,000. </p><p>The court has further sought explanation as to what happened to the other Rs 9,00,000 that was sanctioned in the year 2018.</p>.Cabinet approves extension of tenure of National Commission for Safai Karamcharis for 3 years.<p>Justice M Nagaprasanna has ordered notice to the Managing Director of Safai Karamcharis Development Corporation while adjourning the matter to April 23, observing that no public servant can escape the responsibility of rehabilitation of the petitioners, be it manual scavengers or Safai Karamcharis.</p><p>The court was hearing a batch of petitions filed by Safai Karamcharis/manual scavengers working in different parts of the state, particularly in the Kolar District. </p><p>Since manual scavenging is abolished in terms of the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act 2013, the state government has rendered financial assistance to rehabilitate Safai Karamcharis. Pursuant to this, grant of Rs 9,00,000 as loan and Rs 1,00,000 additional grant is sanctioned to help manual scavengers to establish stores to eke out their livelihood.</p><p>On May 18, 2018, the order was passed with the names of the petitioners for the sanction of Rs 10 lakh. The petitioners alleged that even after seven years, not a rupee is paid to them and the sanction has remained on paper. The counsel for the petitioners submitted that the Board has adopted a pick and choose method, and granted Rs 10 lakh only to 300 people. The advocate informed the court that the state government had granted Rs 80 crore to Kolar District alone for the purpose of rehabilitation.</p><p>“It is this that shocks the conscience of the Court, that despite drawing the names of these petitioners and holding them entitled to Rs 10,00,000 as loan, not a rupee is paid till date. What happened to the sanctioned amount is a mystery. The learned counsel submits 80,00,00,000 is sanctioned, what happened to Rs 80,00,00,000 is nowhere seen. But the life of these petitioners are put in jeopardy and by this act of the respondent/Board, they are allegedly back to manual scavenging, which is prohibited under the Act,” Justice Nagaprasanna said.</p><p>The petitioners in another batch of petitions submitted that the May 18, 2018 order has been cancelled and the claim is now restricted to Rs one lakh grant and even that grant is unpaid. “The Board shall, therefore, justify its action of cancellation of the sanction order of granting Rs 10,00,000 and ordering one time grant of Rs 1,00,000. The Board shall also indicate as to what happened to the other Rs 9,00,000 that was sanctioned in the year 2018,” the court said.</p><p>The court has also asked the government to secure information about the grant of Rs 80 lakh to Kolar district and to explain as to why only 300 people were chosen, while several hundreds of them are still waiting.</p>