Date:20/04/2005 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2005/04/20/stories/2005042003770500.htm

Andhra Pradesh

Plea to include removal of untouchability in Praja Patham

Staff Reporter

Police help sought in dalits' entry into temples

ADILABAD: The chairman of the SC/ST Commission, Justice (retired) K. Punnayya, on Tuesday sought inclusion of abolition of untouchability in the agenda of the ongoing Praja Patham programme.

He was of the opinion that visits to SC colonies should be made part of the programme to keep a tab on the practice of untouchability.

After receiving representations from SC, ST associations and organisations, the chairman of the five-member commission said removal of untouchability was an important step in achieving social justice. To achieve this, the implementation of GOs 105 and 128 was essential, he added.

Ac per GO 105, the police sub-inspector concerned should visit one village per week to check prevalence of untouchability and as per the latter a civil rights day should be celebrated on the 30th of every month.

Mr. Punnayya sought the cooperation of the police, especially

sub-inspectors concerned in facilitating entry of dalits into village temples and ensuring use of dinking water from open wells and borewells by SCs as well. He also sought the help of Revenue authorities in ensuring social justice.

The chairman vowed to eradicate untouchability in the State within two years.

The Secretary to the Commission, R. Subba Rao, appealed to different dalit and Ambedkar organisations and associations to merge into the Samata Sainki Dal, an organisation formed by B.R. Ambedkar.

Such a merger would ensure that the organisations and associations did not work at cross-purposes.

The commission members, T.V. Narayana, Ajmera Raju Nayak and S. Vijayamma, were also present.