Karnataka - Mysore

Mahouts and kaavadis in a fix

MYSORE: An apparent discrepancy between the decision taken by the Cabinet to regularise the services of mahouts and kaavadis and the subsequent letter issued by the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) has created confusion in the minds of mahouts and kaavadis over their future.

District in-charge Minister Shobha Karandlaje announced on Sunday that the Cabinet, at its meeting in Gulbarga, had decided to regularise the services of mahouts and kaavadis and they would be exempted from the educational qualifications and age restrictions, which earlier came in the way of regularisation of their services. This would also apply to those serving as daily wage labourers in the Forest Department.

Ms. Karandlaje said that the Cabinet decided to treat it as a special case, but the only requirement was that they should know to speak Kannada. The services of mahouts and kaavadis would be regularised and their pay would be raised to the level of Group D employees of the Government. The Government Order on regularising their services would be issued within a month, she added.

But a letter issued by PCCF (Wildlife) I.B. Srivastav on September 26 states that the Government has approved the proposal of the department to appoint 15 mahouts and 37 kaavadis on daily wages. The Government is considering the proposal to amend the Cadre and Recruitment Rules in this regard, it said.

This letter has become a cause of concern for mahouts and kaavadis. Convener of the Bharatiya Girijana Shikshana Kendra (BGSS) M.B. Prabhu accused the department of misguiding the Government on the issue.

“While Ms. Karandlaje says that mahouts and kaavadis will be absorbed as Group D employees, the department is planning to appoint them as daily wage workers. Whom should we believe,” he asked.

The Government announced its decision to regularise the services of mahouts and kaavadis, including those who are camping at the Palace with the Dasara elephants, after they threatened to strike work from October 2. Meanwhile, the Dasara Executive Committee, which is headed by the Minister, has also decided to extend a salary of Rs. 5,000 for mahouts and 4,600 for kaavadis as a temporary measure.

The BGSS, which has been fighting for the regularisation of the services of mahouts and kaavadis for six years, is dissatisfied with the department’s decision to appoint them as daily wage workers. “Mahouts and kaavadis cannot be absorbed either as daily wage labourers or as Group D employees. They are persons with an extraordinary skill, which they inherited from their ancestors. They should be identified on the lines of constables of mounted police and suitable amendments should be made to C and R rules for this purpose,” Mr. Prabhu said.

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