From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru
Bengaluru, Jun 8: Despite the inhuman practice of manual scavenging being banned, a gram panchayat development officer (PDO) has been placed under suspension by the State Government for resorting to it for asking two pourakarmikas to get into a manhole and clean it in Mysuru city.
The incident happened in Tavarakatte village in the Chamundi Hill gram panchayat limits.
The PDO Anand has been placed under suspension and a case has been registered against the gram panchayat president Geetha.
Karnataka’s Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister H K Patil informed the Legislative Assembly on Thursday that a case has been registered against Geetha and Ananda in Krishnaraja Police station for violating the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act 2013.
Even though manual scavenging has been banned, Geetha made two civic workers - Ganesh and Cheluva - get into the manhole located near her house and clean it.
In fact, the PDO has told the GP president that pourakarmikas have been appointed for the purpose of cleaning manholes and it was their responsibility to do it.
A case has been registered against the GP president under column 43 (a) and 48 under the Karnataka Gram Swaraj and Panchayat Raj Act, 1993, the minister said.
The officials of Mysuru Zilla Panchayat and Social Welfare department has visited the spot following the directions of the ZP CEO P?Shivashankar.
Patil said the department would take stern action against officials encouraging manual scavenging in the state.