MANGALORE: A decision to undertake a joint inspection of various hostels, which are being managed by the Department of Social Welfare, by the jurisdictional police inspectors and officials of the department, was proposed at the monthly meeting with Dalits and representatives of various Dalit organisations here on Sunday.

The meeting was organised by the Dakshina Kannada district police.

Taking note of a complaint by Sadashiva, a Dalit Sangarsh Samiti (DSS) worker, of several irregularities in the manner in which some of these hostels are run, Superintendent of Police B. Dayananda, who chaired the meeting, ordered for a joint inspection. Mr. Dayananda instructed the officials concerned to submit the report on the findings to him and the department.

About the differences among Dalits on the move of the corporation to issue a house title deed in a colony at Jeppu to a Dalit woman who has married a non-Dalit, Mr. Dayananda instructed P. Harishchandra, Deputy Superintendent of Police, to convene a meeting of all concerned to discuss the issue.

Manjunath Annigeri, Superintendent of Police, Director of Civil Rights Enforcement Cell, said he received a petition questioning the need for the corporation to spend Rs. 45 lakh on 24 Dalit families at Jeppu out of 18 per cent funds set aside for the welfare of Dalits.

Delay

To a question by Gopala Kadumatt, member, District Legal Authority, about the delay on the part of officials of the Mangalore Electricity Supply Company Ltd. (MESCOM) in providing the "bhagya jyothi" connection to low-cost housing schemes of the Government, Mr. Dayananda instructed him to ensure that the beneficiaries followed the prescribed procedure.

Scholarships

T.S. Thimappa, District Social Welfare Officer, said the Government had taken a decision stop providing scholarships to students from Scheduled Castes.

Girish Kumar, DSS leader, demanded that the Government continue providing scholarships to Scheduled Caste students.

M. Muniraju, Superintending Engineer, MESCOM, agreed to a suggestion to conduct the monthly public grievance meeting organised by the company for the consumers on a specified date.

B.S. Lokesh Kumar, Additional Superintendent of Police, welcomed the gathering and proposed vote of thanks. Senior MESCOM officials were present.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail