The Hindu : Panel flays garbage clearance contract

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Jan 09, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Karnataka

Panel flays garbage clearance contract

By Our Staff Correspondent

MYSORE JAN. 8. Award of contract for garbage clearance by the city corporation came in for criticism from the House Committee on SC/ST Welfare on Wednesday.

Peddanna, leader of pourakarmikas, complained to Kariyanna, Chairman of the committee, and its members that the contractors were harassing them. The committee was on a visit to the corporation office to review the implementation of 18 per cent reservation for SC/STs and the procedure followed for filling up the backlog vacancies.

Mr. Peddanna alleged that the contractors were paying only Rs. 600 as monthly salary to the pourakarmikas. Although there was opposition to the privatisation of garbage clearance, the corporation continued it.

While the officials tried to convince the committee that it was only a temporary arrangement till the Government announced plans for fresh recruitments, the members said the matter could have been more rigorously pursued at the Government level. The members said recruitments had been made in several departments dispensing essential services. They felt that garbage could pile up in case the pourakarmikas abstained from work even for a day.

The Corporation Commissioner, Selvakumar, said that though the city required 2,000 pourakarmikas, the corporation had a sanctioned strength of only 1,081. While the population of the city had increased considerably, the Government stopped recruitment of pourakarmikas in 1976. Contracts had been given owing to staff shortage, he added.

The Mayor, T.B. Chikkanna, said the corporation had passed a resolution urging the Government to increase the strength of pourakarmikas. The contract system was a temporary measure, he added.

The members rebuked an official of the Department of Urban Development as he tried to argue that the Finance Department was approving recruitments only to the backlog vacancies.

The members suggested that the corporation verify the details of the contractors, and ensure that minimum wages were paid to the pourakarmikas.

The committee visited the Karnataka State Open University office to find out the reservation policies adopted by the university, and held discussions with the Vice-chancellor, N.S. Rame Gowda.

Earlier, several individuals and organisations submitted memorandums to the committee, seeking its intervention in various issues related to the welfare of SC/STs.

The committee members are M. Muniswamy, H.S. Shankarlinge Gowda, G.N. Nanjundaswamy, and S. Angara, MLAs, and Hanumanthappa Y. Alkod, C. Ramesh, Kalebudde Ismail Sab, and Shashil G. Namoshi, MLCs.

The members will visit the University of Mysore and hold discussions with the Vice-chancellor, S.N. Hegde and other senior officials on the implementation of SC/ST welfare schemes and filling up of backlog vacancies.

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