Mangaluru : Karnataka State Commission for Safai Karmacharis Chairperson Narayan has hinted that contract system would be cancelled for Safai Karmacharis in all urban local bodies (ULBs) within a month. To implement equal pay- equal labour policy as per the direction of State High Court, and to regularise around 35,000 Safai Karmacharis in State, information is being collected from all ULBs to send it to the government.

Speaking after a review meeting at Deputy Commissioner’s office here on Friday, Narayan lamented that ESI and PF facilities are not being given to Safai Karmacharis in Mangalore City Corporation limits and in other urban local bodies (ULBs) of the district. Though workload is too heavy, there are no documents like biometric cards on PF and ESI which would help them to avail various facilities, he said. He set an ultimatum of 15 days to ULB chiefs and contractors to correct the system.

Narayan observed that civic workers are not getting more facilities from reserved fund because of cap on income and directed the officials to provide relaxation on income limits. There should be a community hall, may be worth Rs 1 crore should be built for them at the centre of the city. The city corporation and ULBs should utilise the fund which is earmarked for the development of Safai Karmacharis within the financial year end, he said.

He directed the district administration to distribute 16 sanctioned sites for Safai Karmacharis at the earliest. The 20X30 sites should be distributed before January 26. The administration should identify needy and disburse sites or houses at the earliest. Meanwhile, he ordered police officials to register suo-moto cases in case of manual scavenging.

Narayan said that it has been decided to provide free education to Safai Karmacharis’ children from primary to higher education. It would be declared after a meeting at Bengaluru on January 9. If they want to pursue higher education, the college fees can be refunded.

Meanwhile, he said that the Central government has withdrawn around Rs 250 crores out of Rs 300 crores which was provided for the welfare of Safai Karmacharis of the state as it was not utilised. The commission has urged the government to bring the fund back to the state and take stringent action against officials who show negligence in utilising funds.

He said that the State government has earmarked around Rs 16,000 crore for the welfare of backward classes, wherein Rs 4,000 crore is for STs and Rs 12,000 for SCs. Safai Karmacharis don’t get money from the State government. He requested the government to give the responsibility of managing Sulabha Shauchalaya and Nirmala Bharati schemes to unemployed youth from civic workers’ families.

Narayan said that the amount of compensation for Safai Karmacharis who die on duty is increased to Rs 10 lakh as per the direction of State High Court. Watermen and Bill Collector posts will be regularised and payment will be done according to their work.

Deputy Commissioner A B Ibrahim, Zilla Panchayat CEO Tulasi Maddineni, MCC Commissioner Hephsiba Rani Korlapati, MCC Deputy Commissioner Gokuldas Nayak and others were present.