SC order: 10K dalit govt employees face demotion in Karnataka

February 26, 2017

Bengaluru, Feb 26: The fate of nearly 10,000 dalit government employees hangs in the balance as they face the threat of being demoted, with the Supreme Court recently scrapping reservation in promotions.

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The Congress government is gearing up to challenge the apex court order+ and is taking great pains to work out a please-all formula to prevent political damage ahead of the 2018 assembly polls.

"We are in a sensitive and tricky situation. If we fail to stand by the dalits, they will brand our party anti-dalit, which could have a huge impact on our election prospects.And if we decide to fight for them, the other backward and upward communities will view us with contempt," said a worried senior minister.

Law and parliamentary affairs minister TB Jayachandra said the government is in the process of seeking the opinion of the accountant general (AG) on what best can be done."Based on his inputs, we will take a final call," he added.

On February 9, the apex court had struck down the consequential seniority in promotions awarded by the Karnataka government for SC/ST employees since 1978. It fixed a three-month period for demoting those promoted under the reserved category. The government can file an appeal within the period.

This can be a cause of worry for the government, given the vast number of SCST officials enjoying plum posts because of consequential seniority. On the other hand, those under the general and other backward categories, who are awaiting promotions for years, may finally get their due.

A senior DPAR official said the government is yet to carry out a group-wise survey before implementing such a harsh decision that will bring dalit employees down the seniority ladder -from officers to group `D' staffers -in one stroke.

Karnataka State Employees Association president BP Manje Gowda said 7,000-10,000 officials and employees may be moved to lower ranks, considering 18% of the posts in each of the 65 departments have been reserved for SCsSTs.

Assuming that 1-2% of the 5.15 lakh government employees have benefitted from the promotion quota, he said thousands of employees would to be affected by the apex court order. He said the association will not fight for the cause of dalits or other communities since it is concerned about the welfare of all government employees.

Pro-reservation groups, however, have decided to oppose the move. "We are closely monitoring the government's next step, and have asked SC ST employees to prepare for a mass agitation as and when required," said a senior SC ST employee, who didn't rule out the possibility of bringing crucial official work to a grinding halt.

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News Network
March 28,2024

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Mangaluru, Mar 28: A fish meal factory in the Baikampady Industrial area in Mangaluru was gutted in a fire incident on Thursday, officials said.

The factory is owned by the company 'Shihar Enterprises', they said.

According to the locals, the fire was first noticed at 4.45 am today, which was immediately reported to the fire department.

The fire engines reached the spot and tried to douse the fire, but it had already spread to other parts of the factory. After almost four hours of fire-fighting operation, the blaze was completely doused, officials.

The reason for the blaze is still being probed, the fire department officials said, adding that they suspect an electric short circuit could have triggered it.

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News Network
March 21,2024

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Mangaluru: A man from Dakshina Kannada was duped of Rs 2.5 lakh after he was promised a Poland visa.

In a complaint, a resident of Belthangady, stated that the accused, Manoj, had promised a job for his son in Poland. 

Between May 22 of last year and March 19, he handed over Rs 2.2 lakh in various phases, citing different reasons.

However, since the accused failed to provide a visa or return the money, a case was registered at the Dharmasthala police station under IPC sections 417 and 420.

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News Network
March 15,2024

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Bengaluru, Mar 15: Work from home to using toilets in malls, residents of India's 'Silicon Valley' Bengaluru are exploring all options to combat the unprecedented water crisis. People across various neighbourhoods have been forced to order food from restaurants and take bath on alternate days due to the water scarcity.

Even those in high-rise apartments equipped with water harvesting systems now find themselves reliant on water tankers for basic needs, leading to stringent usage restrictions.

Eateries are mulling over use of disposable cups, glasses and plates to avoid excess use of water.

Educational institutions are also feeling the pinch. Recently, a coaching centre in the city asked its students to attend classes online due to an 'emergency' for a week. Similarly, a school on Bannerghatta Road was also closed, asking students to attend classes online just like they did during the Covid pandemic.

Residents have come with up new methods to try and conserve water. With temperature rising, it is difficult to avoid a daily shower but they are left with no option but to take bath on alternative days, said Sujatha, a resident of KR Puram.

"What to do? Clean vessels, cook food, wash clothes....so, we have started using paper plates, that way we have cut down on our water usage. And we order food twice a week. We are using the washing machine only once in a week now," she said.

Some others have resorted to visiting a mall to take a shower or use the toilet facilities.

Lakshmi V, an IT professional living in Singasandra, has been requesting her firm to allow WFH option so that she and her family can temporarily shift to her native place in Tiruchirapalli in Tamil Nadu until the situation becomes better.

"If the situation persists, we are thinking of seeking a work from home option. We are planning to move to our native place in Tamil Nadu temporarily till rain arrives here," she said.

Bengaluru primarily gets its water supply from two sources - Cauvery river and groundwater. For most non-drinking uses, recycled water processed by sewage treatment plants is used. With no rain for a while now, the primary sources have been stretched to their limits. Bengaluru needs 2,600-2,800 million litres of water daily, and the current supply is half of what's required. The result is a daily struggle for the city's residents.

The brunt is also being borne by people living in the outskirts of Bengaluru, especially in 110 villages that were merged with the city in 2007.

The crisis has also turned into a political battle between the state's ruling Congress government and the opposition BJP with Lok Sabha just weeks away. While the BJP has held several protests blaming the government, the Congress has accused the BJP-ruled federal government of not providing financial assistance to drought-hit Karnataka.

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