Mysuru: Expressing relief at the marked decline in the number of atrocity cases recorded against Dalits in districts constituting South Karnataka, L Murugan , vice-chairman of the National Commission for Scheduled Caste, however expressed concern about 250 cases being registered each in Hassan and Dakshina Kannada districts in the past three years. Murugan, who participated in a meeting on Thursday to review the status of welfare programmes rolled out for the welfare of Dalits in the eight districts falling under the purview of the Mysuru division, said, “The overall number of atrocity cases in the division has come down. But, in Dakshina Kannada, 252 cases were registered in the past three years, and in Hassan, which is the constituency represented by former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda, 250 cases of this nature have been registered in three years. These are numbers that one worries about.”Murugan was briefed about allocation of funds for the welfare of Scheduled Castes (SCs), the efforts being made to put an end to manual scavenging and the programmes that have been initiated under various central and state government schemes including MUDRA and Swachh Bharat.Discussions were also held on whether pourakarmikas employed by the local administrative bodies in the eight districts were extended benefits they were entitled to such as ESI, provident fund (PF) and minimum wages.Directing police to remain vigilant, Murugan asked superintendents of police to identify places where untouchability continued to be practiced, and asked them to specifically monitor denial of entry to temples and restrictions on accessing basic utilities such as ponds and wells. “Identify those areas that are sensitive, and raise awareness among the people,” said Murugan.Warning people against forging caste certificates, Murugan said, “Stringent action will be initiated against officers found guilty of having issued bogus certificates. Guilty officers will be prosecuted.”Data released by the commission revealed that both Dakshina Kannada and Hassan districts registered over 100 atrocity cases against SCs in 2017 – 102 in Hassan, and 114 in Dakshina Kannada.Meanwhile, the number of atrocity cases registered in Mysuru in the past three years amounted to 200, 238 in Mandya and 229 in Chikkamagaluru.Meanwhile, Kodagu and Chamarajanagar were the only districts to have recorded fewer than 100 atrocity cases in the past three years. Chamarajanagar has registered just 75 cases, while the number is lower in Kodagu, at 55. While seven of the eight districts saw a decline in the number of atrocity cases in 2018, compared to the previous year (marked in some cases, and marginal in others: For more details, refer table below), Kodagu alone saw a small rise – the number rose from 16 in 2017 to 18 the following year. However, the average number of atrocity cases registered in the hilly district remains the lowest among all the eight districts in the Mysuru division.C’nagar and Kodagu have the best recordDistrictAtrocity cases registered against Scheduled Castes201620172018TotalMysuru717554200Hassan8710261250Chikkamagaluru848362229Mandya768478238Chamarajanagar23272575Kodagu21161855Udupi376261160Dakshina Kannada8211456252Source: National Commission for Scheduled Caste‘Nine victims in Sulwadi tragedy SCs’The tragedy in Sulwadi Maramma temple in Chamarajanagar was discussed at length during the review meeting. Of the 17 devotees who died after eating the poison-laced prasadam, nine belonged to Scheduled Caste communities. Police have booked a case under the SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Act. I have also asked the Chamarajanagar district administration tio extend additional compensation to families of SCs, besides providing jobs, housing, land and pension.- L Murugan | Vice-Chairman, National Commission For Scheduled Castes

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