3,238 manual scavengers in Karnataka: Safai commission chief

State Safai Karmachari Commission Chairperson M Shivanna on Wednesday said that there are 3,238 manual scavengers in the state.

Participating in a meeting here, on Wednesday, Shivanna said that the numbers of manual scavengers are on the rise in the state, every year. However, 1,073 people have applied for rehabilitation, this year. Besides, the family members of 83 workers, who died while on duty, have been given jobs on compassionate grounds, he said.

Manual scavenging is illegal and also an offense. Pamphlets creating awareness against manual scavenging would be printed and pasted on KSRTC and BMTC buses, he said.

The commission would also recommend 2% reservation for the children of the pourakarmikas under RTE scheme, and also appoint one civic worker to the nominated posts. There are also plans to construct rest houses at 500 to 600 places for the women civic workers in Bengaluru, Shivanna said.

Out of 49,300 civic workers in the state, only 7,651 employees are permanent workers, he said.